{"id":3176,"date":"2015-02-26T10:36:15","date_gmt":"2015-02-26T16:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kbicblog.com\/blog\/construction-recruiter\/?p=3176"},"modified":"2015-02-26T10:37:07","modified_gmt":"2015-02-26T16:37:07","slug":"how-to-choose-the-right-references","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kbicblog.com\/construction-recruiter\/blog\/how-to-choose-the-right-references\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose the Right References"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Choose the Right References – HBR<\/p>\n

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You aced the last round of interviews and now your prospective employer wants to check your references. Who should you ask? Which people can best vouch for you? Will they be able to describe all your relevant qualities and skills and explain why you\u2019re a fit for the new job?<\/p>\n

What the Experts Say
\n<\/strong>One of the biggest mistakes jobseekers make is failing to understand \u201chow incredibly important references are,\u201d to the hiring process, says Claudio Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz, a senior adviser at global executive search firm Egon Zehnder and the author of It\u2019s Not the How or the What but the Who: Succeed by Surrounding Yourself with the Best<\/a><\/em>. References provide \u201can accurate, third-party assessment of your strengths and weaknesses so managers can hire knowing full information,\u201d he explains. \u201cGiven the option of either interviewing a candidate without checking references or checking references without interviewing, I would choose the latter.\u201d As a job candidate, you must therefore be thoughtful and strategic about both whom you ask, and how you prepare them to speak on your behalf, according to Priscilla Claman, the president of Career Strategies, a Boston-based consulting firm and a contributor to the HBR Guide to Getting the Right Job<\/em><\/a>. \u201cYou want your references to present a consistent story about who you are, what you are good at, and what it is you want to do\u201d with your career, she says. Here are a few things you should consider.<\/p>\n

Be prepared
\n<\/strong>Even before you start the job interview process, you should develop a mental list of past and current colleagues who could serve as references for you so that once you\u2019re asked to provide them, you\u2019re ready. Ideally, your list should include a mixture of former and current bosses, coworkers, and subordinates. \u201cThe best references are from people who have worked closely with you,\u201d says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. Never ask someone to be a reference if you don\u2019t know for certain what he or she is going to say, adds Claman. \u201cYou should ask managers who have given you positive performance reviews. Ask coworkers who have thanked you for help on projects. And ask people who have successfully worked under you,\u201d she says. \u201cThis is why you have to maintain those relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n

Understand your options
\n<\/strong>If the hiring manager asks to check your references at your current organization and you don\u2019t want to divulge the fact that you\u2019re considering leaving, you have two options. One, offer to provide references outside of your organization \u2014 consultants, advisors, lawyers, or clients \u2014 who can speak to the quality of your job performance. Or two, offer to provide references once the new company makes you a formal job offer. \u201cIt\u2019s fairly common,\u201d says Claman. \u201cMost companies understand the position you\u2019re being put in.\u201d There are certain instances, however, where it is acceptable to tip your hand, says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. Perhaps you\u2019re not going to progress to the next level; you\u2019re not interested in a promotion; or you need to leave your job for personal reasons. If you\u2019ve decided to leave, use your best judgment in selectively sharing that information with colleagues. \u201cBut if you are otherwise happy where you are, wait until you\u2019re at an advanced stage\u201d before revealing your plans, says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz.<\/p>\n

Get specific
\n<\/strong>When the hiring manager requests your references, \u201cfind out what specifically he or she is looking to check,\u201d says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. If the manager wants to learn more about your leadership style, then he should speak to your former and current direct reports. If he wants to check your ability to develop a strategy, bosses are the people to call. If he wants to learn about your ability to influence, he ought to talk to peers. \u201cThis helps the person do a more relevant reference check and get a more credible, accurate assessment,\u201d he says. Remember: the quality of the references you offer is a reflection on you.<\/p>\n

Offer context
\n<\/strong>Help your references offer the best possible endorsement by providing them with information about the role you are being considered for and why you want the job. \u201cGive them a framework,\u201d says Claman. \u201cTell them why you believe the company wants to hire you and how you are likely to be useful for that company so they can reinforce that.\u201d Gently remind your references of your past achievements and approach. \u201cCoach them on what you want them to say,\u201d she suggests. Also ask different references to highlight different talents and strengths, she says. \u201cOne could talk about your ability to establish relationships with colleagues, another about your technical skills, and another about your project management abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Be resourceful
\n<\/strong>If you are being considered for a job in which you don\u2019t have direct experience, it can be tricky to come up with an appropriate reference. In hiring circumstances like these, you need to take a different approach. Recount a time in your past where you picked up new professional responsibilities, spearheaded a cross-functional project, or took on a new geography, then think about colleagues with whom you worked closely then. You want \u201cindividuals who have seen you do something different,\u201d says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. \u201cWhen a hiring manager hears that you\u2019ve [taken on something new] under similar circumstances, he will infer competence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find common ground
\n<\/strong>The best testimonials depend on the \u201copenness\u201d of the person providing the reference, according to Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. To \u201cfacilitate candor,\u201d he suggests you try to identify commonalities between the person checking your references and the people providing them. Perhaps the hiring manager and your former boss share an alma mater. Or maybe the she once worked at the same company as one of your close colleagues. \u201cPeople will place more weight on those references because of the familiarity effect,\u201d says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. Similarly, the referee will likely \u201cbe more open and candid\u201d during the conversation.<\/p>\n

Explain negativity
\n<\/strong>\u201cYou should know when to expect a negative reference,\u201d says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. It might come from a manager who fired you, from someone who gave you a poor performance review, or from a colleague who felt offended that you left the organization. If the hiring manager asks to call that particular person, be honest. \u201cSay: \u2018This person will likely give you a negative reference. Let me tell you why.\u2019\u201d Then suggest other people in the same organization who \u201ccan offer relevant and objective\u201d opinions, says Fern\u00e1ndez-Ar\u00e1oz. After all, the last thing you want is for the \u201chiring manager to be surprised by what he hears,\u201d says Claman.<\/p>\n

Do<\/strong><\/p>\n