俠骨柔情
浪跡天涯，追月尋夢
正文
Whilerésumés and cover letters get a lot of attention, your professionalreferences are equally important in the job hunt. After all, theinformation these contacts share could prompt a hiring manager toextend a job offer to you or cross you off the list of potentialcandidates.
To help you develop and maintain a stellarreference list, here is a collection of 10 frequently askedreference-related questions:
Q: Do I need to include the phrase, "References Available Upon Request" at the bottom of my résumé?
A #1: No. If hiring managers want to review your reference list, they understand that you'll provide it to them.
Q: How many references should I list?
A: Hiring managers typically expect job seekers to provide three to five references.
Q: Whom should I use as a reference?
A:Former managers, colleagues, direct reports and fellow members ofprofessional associations are all excellent reference candidates. Thebest references know you well and will provide an inquiring employerwith a positive overview of your performance on the job, while offeringspecific anecdotes that speak to your best skills and attributes.
Also,remember that your references are a reflection of you. Choose peoplewho are professional and have strong communication skills.
It'sequally important that a prospective employer can easily track downyour references. Select people who are responsive and available.Regardless of all the wonderful things references would say about you,they won't do you -- or the hiring manager -- any good if they don'tpromptly return phone calls.
Q: I'm just starting my career and don't have much of a work history. Whom can I use as a reference?
A:Employers understand that job applicants fresh out of school don'tnecessarily have a robust list of professional contacts. That beingsaid, some hiring managers will still request a reference list. Inaddition to former bosses, consider asking a professor, mentor orleader of a school organization to provide a reference. Just make sureyou identify someone who knows you well and will give you a positiverecommendation. It is not advisable to list family members or friendsbecause of their obvious lack of objectivity.
Q: Should I contact people before listing them as references?
A:Absolutely. Ask your contacts for permission to include their names onyour reference list. You also should inform them of the jobs you'reseeking and the skills required for those roles. Be sure to send yourreferences an updated résumé and verify their contact information.
Q: Do I need to provide anything beyond the reference's name, job title and contact information?
A:While those are the basics, you'll help your cause by writing a briefexplanation of how you know the person, how long you've known theperson and why you chose to include him or her. Example: "I workedclosely with manager John Doe for five years. As my supervisor at XYZCorporation, he promoted me three times and nominated me for the firm'ssalesperson of the year award twice. He can attest to my strong salesskills and team-building abilities."
Q: How should I format my reference list?
A:While there are no hard-and-fast formatting rules, it makes good senseto use the same font style and point size you used in your résumé andcover letter. In addition, be sure to include your name and contactinformation on the sheet.
Q: Do employers really check references?
A:While some employers won't check a single reference, most do and mayeven contact every person on your list. In fact, some employers will goso far as to ask your references for the names of other people they cancontact. This is just one of the many reasons it pays not to burnbridges with anyone you deal with in a professional capacity.
Q:How should I respond if a prospective employer asks to speak to mycurrent employer, but my supervisor is unaware that I'm seeking a newjob?
A: Simply state the facts. Explain that your managerdoesn't know you're interviewing for other jobs, and that you'd preferthat he or she not be contacted. As an alternative, you might give theprospective employer the name of a trusted colleague at your company.Just remember that no matter how discreet you are, there is always achance your job search will become public. This is the risk allemployed job seekers must weigh.
Q: If an employer calls me for a job interview, should I give them my reference list during the meeting?
A:Don't walk in and immediately give the list to the interviewer.However, it is beneficial to have your reference list on hand. If theinterviewer makes a request, closing the meeting by handing him or heryour reference list shows that you are highly organized, prepared andconfident that people have great things to say about you.
Yourprofessional references list can play just as pivotal a role insecuring a job offer as your résumé and cover letter, so carefullyconsider with whom you put potential employers in touch and maintaincommunication with these contacts. You should always be thinking aboutthe individuals you would include on your reference list should youenter the job market unexpectedly and maintain a strong professionalnetwork to ensure you have the widest pool from which to choose. Afterall, you never know when a positive word from a professional contactwill give you the slight edge you need to land the job you seek.
RobertHalf International Inc. is the world's first and largest specializedstaffing firm with a global network of more than 330 offices throughoutNorth America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For moreinformation about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com.
To help you develop and maintain a stellarreference list, here is a collection of 10 frequently askedreference-related questions:
Q: Do I need to include the phrase, "References Available Upon Request" at the bottom of my résumé?
A #1: No. If hiring managers want to review your reference list, they understand that you'll provide it to them.
Q: How many references should I list?
A: Hiring managers typically expect job seekers to provide three to five references.
Q: Whom should I use as a reference?
A:Former managers, colleagues, direct reports and fellow members ofprofessional associations are all excellent reference candidates. Thebest references know you well and will provide an inquiring employerwith a positive overview of your performance on the job, while offeringspecific anecdotes that speak to your best skills and attributes.
Also,remember that your references are a reflection of you. Choose peoplewho are professional and have strong communication skills.
It'sequally important that a prospective employer can easily track downyour references. Select people who are responsive and available.Regardless of all the wonderful things references would say about you,they won't do you -- or the hiring manager -- any good if they don'tpromptly return phone calls.
Q: I'm just starting my career and don't have much of a work history. Whom can I use as a reference?
A:Employers understand that job applicants fresh out of school don'tnecessarily have a robust list of professional contacts. That beingsaid, some hiring managers will still request a reference list. Inaddition to former bosses, consider asking a professor, mentor orleader of a school organization to provide a reference. Just make sureyou identify someone who knows you well and will give you a positiverecommendation. It is not advisable to list family members or friendsbecause of their obvious lack of objectivity.
Q: Should I contact people before listing them as references?
A:Absolutely. Ask your contacts for permission to include their names onyour reference list. You also should inform them of the jobs you'reseeking and the skills required for those roles. Be sure to send yourreferences an updated résumé and verify their contact information.
Q: Do I need to provide anything beyond the reference's name, job title and contact information?
A:While those are the basics, you'll help your cause by writing a briefexplanation of how you know the person, how long you've known theperson and why you chose to include him or her. Example: "I workedclosely with manager John Doe for five years. As my supervisor at XYZCorporation, he promoted me three times and nominated me for the firm'ssalesperson of the year award twice. He can attest to my strong salesskills and team-building abilities."
Q: How should I format my reference list?
A:While there are no hard-and-fast formatting rules, it makes good senseto use the same font style and point size you used in your résumé andcover letter. In addition, be sure to include your name and contactinformation on the sheet.
Q: Do employers really check references?
A:While some employers won't check a single reference, most do and mayeven contact every person on your list. In fact, some employers will goso far as to ask your references for the names of other people they cancontact. This is just one of the many reasons it pays not to burnbridges with anyone you deal with in a professional capacity.
Q:How should I respond if a prospective employer asks to speak to mycurrent employer, but my supervisor is unaware that I'm seeking a newjob?
A: Simply state the facts. Explain that your managerdoesn't know you're interviewing for other jobs, and that you'd preferthat he or she not be contacted. As an alternative, you might give theprospective employer the name of a trusted colleague at your company.Just remember that no matter how discreet you are, there is always achance your job search will become public. This is the risk allemployed job seekers must weigh.
Q: If an employer calls me for a job interview, should I give them my reference list during the meeting?
A:Don't walk in and immediately give the list to the interviewer.However, it is beneficial to have your reference list on hand. If theinterviewer makes a request, closing the meeting by handing him or heryour reference list shows that you are highly organized, prepared andconfident that people have great things to say about you.
Yourprofessional references list can play just as pivotal a role insecuring a job offer as your résumé and cover letter, so carefullyconsider with whom you put potential employers in touch and maintaincommunication with these contacts. You should always be thinking aboutthe individuals you would include on your reference list should youenter the job market unexpectedly and maintain a strong professionalnetwork to ensure you have the widest pool from which to choose. Afterall, you never know when a positive word from a professional contactwill give you the slight edge you need to land the job you seek.
RobertHalf International Inc. is the world's first and largest specializedstaffing firm with a global network of more than 330 offices throughoutNorth America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. For moreinformation about our professional services, please visit www.rhi.com.
評論
目前還沒有任何評論
登錄後才可評論.
