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Professional References
by
Jobs 4 Grads Now
You have completed your resume’, you’ve written the
greatest cover letter known to man, and now you need to be ready to provide an
employer or prospective employer a list of Professional References. But who are
these “professional references”?
In short, they’re people willing to go to bat for you, and who have the ability
to add some topspin and pizzazz to your chances of landing that dream job … you
know, the one you’re moving closer and closer to with each step.
Your professional references should be able to attest to your skills, your
abilities, and your accomplishments. These include people you’ve worked for – or
worked with – in the past. These are people who’ve seen you in action and can
sing your praises.
But, be careful. When jotting down potential professional references, you must
be 100% sure the information and perspective they share will be favorable to
you. If there’s even a shred of doubt, strike them from your list!
Once you’re comfortable with your list, be courteous and let each person know
that you would like to get their permission to use them as a reference. You
might even ask them if they’d be willing to provide you a reference in writing.
If this is a previous or current employer, ask that the letter of reference be
printed on company letterhead.
As each person agrees to be your professional reference, ask them to notify you
if they are called by the company you desire to work for – and thank them
afterward! This is very important.
Your formalized list of professional references should include each person’s
name, company, address, contact number, email address and position or title.
Finally, be prepared to present your professional references (in hard copy form
or as a file attachment to an email) immediately upon request by your employer
or prospective employer. | |
