References make a difference in a job search
By J. Larry Tyler, FACHE, FHFMA, CMPE, Master Career Coach for Senior Players
In today’s competitive job market, a good reference is more valuable than ever. But preparing a reference list needs to be done right, or you could end up hurting your chances of landing the job, rather than helping.
Choose a variety of references.
In general, references fall into four categories:
Supervisors
Peers
Subordinates
Other (e.g., physician leaders, board members, consultants, county commissioner)
When preparing your reference list, you need at least one from all four of these categories. Hiring teams tend to place the most emphasis on the reference given by a candidate’s supervisor, so make sure to give careful consideration to the person you ask to be your reference in that category.
Call your references first.
After putting together your reference list, you must call your references before giving their info to a potential employer. See if they’re okay with being a reference for you. If you detect any hesitancy on their part whatsoever, you thank them for their time, then move on to another potential reference in that category.
You want enthusiastic references. A lot of HR directors and recruiters are going to be calling them over the course of your job search, and people without that enthusiasm will get tired of these conversations quickly. You need references that have sustained excitement over your qualifications, skills, and accomplishments that will come across over the phone or Zoom—multiple times over. As they say, references can “damn with faint praise.”