REFERENCE CHECKS

By Richard W. Van Doren, Ed.D.


In the distant and far away past, while graduating from college and about to look for a position, I was advised that the standard wisdom of preparing for a reference check was to obtain three letters  from former bosses or professors to use in the job application process.  The letters usually started out with, "To Whom It May Concern" -- something with all the warmth and personal touch of, "Dear Occupant or Boxholder".  The body or text of the letters also had a ring of familiarity if not standardization.

  Unfortunately, many people in the job search process still utilize this old and outdated method.  The only situation where this method still applies is for those individuals looking for employment in academe or, possibly, in government.  There, the request is often made to have such reference letters as a part of the application.  For business purposes, however, this is definitely a sign that the individual is not current on job search ala 1995.

The question then is, "How do I prepare for reference checks -- or don't they really check references?"  Most companies, and even recruiters, will check references.  At least, this is always a recommendation that I make to them when performing assessments on candidates.  In the case of executive recruiters, the reference check may come very early in the process; perhaps even before you have a face-to-face interview with the company.  This puts you and your reference at a disadvantage, as we will discuss later.

The first step  in handling a reference check is to identify your reference list.  This might include one or more of the following categories of persons: bosses or former bosses, colleagues and peers, direct reports, clients or customers, suppliers, and possibly consultants.  Anyone who is familiar with your work and has some good things to say about it.  You might also consider a character reference.

People have often said to me, "The best reference I could have was Ms. _____________, but she's retired and moved away."  My  rejoinder is usually, "Is she still alive?  Still a good communicator?"  If the answer is "yes" and she still has a telephone, she can still be a reference.  The only caveat is that you have to make sure the person is up-to-date on you and the industry and/or function you wish to work in.

Once you have established the list, you need to contact the individuals and go through the following steps:

	a. Make certain that they are willing to provide a positive reference.  Get their current title [or, if retired, their last title], telephone number, and address.

	b. Provide them with a copy of your current resume and any other materials that you are using in your search that might prove helpful.  Let them know what kind of position [the ideal] you are looking for; the geography, company size, industry, etc.

	c. Let them know how you believe you can contribute to that ideal company.  Make sure that you give them up-to-date information on recent accomplishments that support that contribution.  If it would be helpful, write out some accomplishments and send it to them so they can put it under the phone or in a handy desk drawer if contacted unexpectedly and their mind goes blank.

	d. Tell them that you will only use them as a reference in situations where there is a clear interest on your part and, hopefully, on the part of the employer as well.

	e. Find out if there is a time of day, day of the week, and phone number when and where they  would prefer to be contacted.

	f. Tell them that, if at all possible, you will be calling them first to let them know something about the position and company and what emphasis they should make when contacted.

	g. Network with them [see the article in E-SPAN on Networking for Market Intelligence].  See how they react to your presentation of what you are looking for and what you can do.  Get referrals.

	h. Tell them that you will keep them posted on a regular basis [perhaps once a month] as to how your search is going and to receive any suggestions or advice that they might have.

During the course of your search, when asked for references either by the recruiter or by the company, ask, "Who would you like to talk to?"  Determine if it is a former boss, peer, etc.  Find out how many references they would like and give them only that number.  That way, you can limit the number of times that any one of your references is contacted.  Even if you have a list of your references in your pocket, I would recommend that you tell the individual you will either put them in the mail tonight, or fax/call them in in the morning.  This gives you some lead time to contact the references first and prepare them with information on the specific company and position that you are interviewing for.  It also gives you both the opportunity to brainstorm about possible "war stories" that would sell your skills.

Although mentioned above, let me reiterate that you should keep your references posted on your progress.  Not only will this remind them that you are still in the process of finding a new position, it will allow you to continue to receive suggestions or referrals that can advance your search.  If prepared properly, your references can make a great contribution to your job search.


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Dr. Van Doren is a Vice President with Manchester Partners International, MC Division, in Princeton, NJ.  He has been working as a consultant to business and industry since 1980 providing expertise on issues in outplacement and career development.  With a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Ball State University, he is currently devoting most of his time to the areas of organizational & management development and executive coaching & performance.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR TOPICS OF INTEREST  that you would like Dr. Van Doren to address in future articles, please forward them to Manchester Partners International, 5 Independence Way, Princeton, NJ 08540 or e-mail: INTERNET: VanDorenR@ManchesterUS.co