References too are important
YOU HAVE heard it before and you will hear it again. Get your résumé right; let your covering letter speak for you, confidence is the key... the list goes on and on. Getting a job has never been easy.
You need every bit of help you can get. Yes, you do have to get your résumé right, and you do have to have an effective cover letter, but it doesn't stop there. What one neglects, or rather, pays very little attention to, are references - those little blank lines at the far end of the CV. More often than not, that place is marked by a defensive `available on request'.
Make no mistake. References are important. They will not only help you get a job interview, they will make sure that you have a platform to build on once you do get the job.
References tell employers what they can expect from you if they hire you. Good references help in setting standards and create an impression in the employer's mind. However, benefiting from references is not as simple as it sounds.
Spend time on your references
Usually, when it comes to jotting down the names of worthy contacts, one does not think twice. But therein lies a problem. Many factors need to be thought over. For example, just because you have had a positive rapport with someone does not mean that the person will provide a positive feedback. Provide names of people who you have been in touch with.
If you can, check with them before putting down their names on your references list. They must be people who have an idea of the track that your career has taken. Sprucing up your references will help your résumé look good.
Spend time with your references
If you have not been in touch with your contact then a phone call to alert the person about your having provided that person's name as a reference is a sensible thing to do.
Try to apprise the person of the work that you have been doing. Relate it to the good side of your performance that this person is already familiar with. You could specifically mention the successful projects that you have completed and have been recognised for.
Be careful about who you choose
There may be occasions, however, when your only reference will be a person who does not have a very good image of you - in which case you must think twice before putting him down as a reference. Trying to influence the person in providing a desirable albeit artificial picture may not always work. Moreover since the feedback is confidential you will never know what really did not work - your interview or your references. It is thus important that the feedback provided by your contact is honest and forthright. Artificially worded references are easy to see through, while references that are factual and balanced will hold more value.
Fill in the blanks
Do not forget to let your references know under what circumstances you have left your job. Fill him in on the possible questions that he may be asked. He must be familiar with most, if not all, of your career moves and choices, so he does not sound vague when prospective recruiters give him a call.
There is a lesson to be learned here. The written word on the résumé cannot have the same impact as an impressive personal feedback provided by someone who has faith in your abilities and has seen you in action. Is would be foolhardy to neglect such a potent source of success at interviews and jobs.
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