A. References are normally sought after you've been given a provisional job offer. Reference requests can also be processed while interviews, assessments, etc., take place and the information then contributes to the selection decision, before any offers are made. According to a CIPD survey, 34 percent of organisations take up pre-interview employment references as one of the methods they use to select applicants. Q. How does an employer choose referees?
A. References are usually sought from current and former employers. If you have never been employed, you can supply personal referees. But information from these may be worthless to employers as they're always likely to be complimentary. If you can, choose three or four referees - ideally people who know you well, have worked with you fairly recently, and who you think will tell the prospective employer good things about you and your work. Ask beforehand if it's OK to put them on your list of referees, and again, each time you name them as a referee for a particular job application. Q. What if I don't want my current employer to know I'm looking for another job?
A. Obtaining references at an early stage can jeopardise an employee's career. Furthermore, what if you don't get the new job and have to stick around at the old one for a couple of months? Make sure you ensure the person interviewing you is aware of this as they can always approach former employers first instead. Indeed, a prospective employer may be more interested in long-standing referees to see if you have a history of being dependable. They'll appreciate that if you're looking now, it's because something doesn't quite 'fit' with your current employer. Q. Does a reference need to be written in a certain way?
A. Most companies will request references to be submitted in writing, either in the form of an 'open' unstructured letter or by use of a standard form. Requesting written references provides referees with more time to reflect on the questions, the wording of answers and on the information (if any) provided about the job vacancy. It is important that any reference request is marked "private and confidential" for the attention of the named referee. Q. What about references by telephone?
A. Telephone can be a faster and more reliable way of obtaining a reference than through the post but a referee may be sensitive about the amount or type of data being asked for. If a reference appears inadequate or incomplete, prospective employers may check by telephone to investigate further. Recruitment managers can learn volumes by listening to the unspoken words, such as if asked "Would you rehire this employee?" and the respondent says, "ahh, umm..." It may be an idea to send your referees information about the job you're going for so that they can match your skills and abilities to the requirements and are well-prepared.
