When it comes to job transitions, giving references can be a tricky situation for employees. As an employer, you want to ensure that your employees are given the references they need to move forward in their careers and yet you don’t want to compromise the trust of current and former employees. At the same time, you want to ensure that you are providing the best possible reference for your employees regardless of whether they are still employed with you or have already moved on. This blog post will outline different approaches to giving references while still employed, including the importance of ensuring confidentiality, understanding the reference process, and establishing guidelines for reference requests. By exploring the processes and considerations involved in giving references while still employed, employers can ensure that they are providing the best possible reference while still maintaining the trust of current and former employees.
- Only list previous employers. …
- Provide a peer’s contact information instead of a supervisor’s. …
- List a supervisor who isn’t your manager. …
- Separate your references from your resume. …
- Make your list of references conditional on an employment offer. …
- Remain professional.
Why are references important?
A crucial step in the job search process is providing a list of references, as interviewers frequently ask candidates for a list of former supervisors who can comment on your professional abilities and personality traits. In addition to the other reasons listed below, having a list of references handy when applying for jobs is crucial.
Confirm skills or personality traits youve highlighted
Professionals frequently highlight their abilities and characteristics to an employer during an interview process. Having information from other professionals about your work ethic, values, and character during this process is crucial because many interviewers want to confirm the qualities you choose to emphasize during your interview.
Determine whether youre a good fit for an available role
It’s critical for professionals to convey their expertise and knowledge of the field they are applying for during interviews. Speaking up about this in an interview is crucial, but having a reference who can attest to what you say can be a deciding factor in the hiring process. Additionally, it might attest to your ability to start working on tasks related to your industry without much training.
Verify resume information
It’s crucial to create a professional resume that highlights your work history, but it’s also crucial to have references who can attest to every detail. Your references not only verify the information on your resume, but an effective reference may also be able to provide information beyond what you’ve already provided, such as details about your productivity and leadership abilities.
How to give references while employed
Here are six guidelines you can use to provide references while working:
1. Only list previous employers
You can simply ask your former employers to serve as references rather than your current supervisors if you have relevant work experience from positions you held before your current one. This avoids the challenges involved in asking a current manager to be a reference while still allowing an interviewer to learn more about you and confirm the information on your resume. Try to make sure that your references can still provide information about your abilities that is relatively recent, as hiring managers frequently prefer current information if it is available.
2. Provide a peers contact information instead of a supervisors
Consider referring an interviewer to a peer rather than a manager if they insist on speaking with someone who can discuss the duties you perform at your current job. The interviewer may not mind speaking with one of your peers rather than a manager or supervisor if they only want to confirm information about your current position. This strategy might serve as a compromise because hiring managers are frequently aware of how difficult it is to request references while working.
3. List a supervisor who isnt your manager
On rare occasions, an interviewer might ask you for a reference from someone in a senior position with your company. It can be useful to list a company employee who does not directly supervise you because of the complicated dynamics involved in asking a direct supervisor to serve as a reference. Since most businesses have multiple levels of management, listing a reference from someone you don’t interact with every day could be a good strategy.
With this strategy, you can ask someone who might be less impacted by your absence to serve as a reference. They might be in a position to give you unbiased feedback about your work history because your departure might not interfere with their workflow.
4. Separate your references from your resume
You might send your resume to several employers when applying for jobs. A hiring manager is more likely to contact those individuals if your resume includes a list of references. Consider keeping your references separate from your resume if you want to list your current employer as a reference but don’t want a potential employer to call them unexpectedly. You can be ready and informed if a hiring manager asks for the contact details of your current managers.
5. Make your list of references conditional on an employment offer
You can request to have your references conditional on receiving a job offer if you don’t want an interviewer contacting your current employer before you’re certain of receiving one. When a company decides to move forward with a candidate’s application, it is common practice to ask for references near the end of the application process. A conditional offer of employment may be an amicable solution if you advance to this stage of the hiring process, indicating that you are a valuable candidate.
6. Remain professional
Remaining professional is one of the most crucial aspects of asking a current employer for references. An effective manager frequently respects the career goals of team members and consents to serve as a reference. If you get a new offer, you might want to give them at least two weeks’ notice.
When you learn that a hiring manager has gotten in touch with a present or former employer for a reference, think about sending them a thank-you note. This demonstrates your professionalism and respect for them, and it may also ensure that they continue to want to assist you in the future. Additionally, it might increase the likelihood that they will give you a favorable reference that emphasizes not only your technical expertise and hard skills but also your capacity for cooperation and communication, both of which could be crucial for success in a future position.
WHAT DO EMPLOYERS ASK YOUR JOB REFERENCES?
FAQ
Can you use references from your current job?
References from previous employers are important because they can give a prospective employer the most up-to-date details on your strengths as an employee and give them the confidence to extend you an offer.
Is it bad to use your current employer as a reference?
Instead, you can list them as references since they can attest to your transferable skills, particularly those that are most pertinent to the development jobs you intend to pursue.
Can references lose you a job?
Don’t think of your references as a one-time need. In the same way that your resume or branding materials are assets for your career, so are they Therefore, keep them informed about any jobs you’ve applied for or clients you’ve pitched so they won’t be caught off guard when these companies contact you.
