How to Ask & Why You Need Reference Letters 2021

One of the important tools you must have in your job search toolkit is excellent references. Today, In this article, I’ll explain why employers want references? Who you can ask to be a reference for you? And why you should ask for it in writing?

Why do employers want references?

All referencing is based on one promise, the belief that past behavior and performance is the best predictor of future performance.

Employers perform reference checks to verify

• Your relevant experience, skills, teamwork, and other areas of specific interest to them. Your character, trustworthiness, reputation, and credibility.

• To see if there is more to learn about you and your capabilities, or your attitude, or areas of weakness.

• How you performed and what was accomplished. Your communication, interpersonal, or management style.

• Whether you are likely to be a good fit for the hiring company, the team, or a specific manager.

• Warning flags, like inconsistencies, different people say conflicting things about you.

• Insights on how to best manage and support you if you join the team.

Who to ask for a reference?

You want to have at least three references because that’s how many most employers will usually ask for. However, you can have more than three. Ideally, employers prefer employment references.  Although, if you’re entering the workforce for the first time or re-entering after a long absence or perhaps you’re new to the country and don’t have any employment references. Then you can request character references from people who can attest to attributes, personality, skills, abilities, and attitude. People such as teachers, professors or fellow students, spiritual advisors, friends, or someone you’ve volunteered with.

You want at least two people who are eager to talk enthusiastically about you and you want to include at least one reference from a past supervisor or manager. You want references from people who can discuss your work skills and abilities such as past employers, supervisors, business owners, team leaders, colleagues, or your subordinates or direct reports. People who can attest to your character traits or special and unique abilities. Such as fellow students, instructors, clients, customers, long-term personal friends, or people who know you that hold a reputable position in the community and those from agencies where you volunteer.

Here is a list of potential referral sources.

• Immediate supervisor or manager

• Indirect Managers/Supervisors you frequently interacted with

• Teachers/professors

• Coworkers/Colleagues

• Direct report/subordinates

• Senior management

• Board Directors

• Someone you volunteered for or with

• Pastors/Rabbi/Reverend

• Business acquaintances/consultants

• Vendors you do business with

• Clients/customers

• Friends

Regardless of the role, you held it’s beneficial to ask for references from several sources within your work environment. If you’re a manager for example don’t only ask for a reference from your boss. Ask another peer colleague and if you’re a manager or supervisor of people ask you direct reports. Keep in mind, your employees can speak to what type of manager you are? What makes you a good manager? What they learned from you and appreciated working with you? This can be particularly valuable when applying for future management jobs.

Your peer co-worker can speak to your ability to collaborate on projects or with other departments or as part of the management team. How you direct and guide your staff, team to work with other departments or teams and their observations on how you manage coach, and support your staff. Your direct supervisor will address your strength as an employee, department manager, particular contributions you made to projects and or company goals and objectives. And how you directed and managed your staff if applicable. If you’re in sales based role ask for a reference from your favorite customer or client.

Some companies have a no-reference policy. If that’s the case ask your employer if they will write a letter confirming your employment dates, job titles, and statement reflecting that they have a no references policy. You do not want your salary stated in this letter. The benefit of this type of letter is that it will confirm for an interviewer that you’re telling the truth in that you were employed in that company. In the job that you mentioned for the time period you also stated and it also confirms in writing that your previous employer will not provide a reference beyond that.

Create an “Ongoing reference File”

I recommend to everyone to always create an ongoing reference file. Keep all reference letters, testimonials, awards, performance appraisals, articles written that refer to something you did, lead, or were part of anything that validates your talents, abilities, and efforts. These provide proof of your strengths, achievements and can be used in the future job search for promotions, performance appraisals, wage increase requests, and may even assist your case if you are unjustly fired. This reference file can also benefit you when you’re having a bad day or you’ve lost your job and need to remind yourself that you matter. That you have been valued and appreciated by others and you will be again in a future job.

Letters of reference

A reference letter is a valuable tool that can help you in your future job search by providing insights and examples of what sets you apart from others? And what your past employers valued most about working with you. When you resign from a job it’s important to ask your supervisors, colleagues, and even your employees for letters of references. That highlights your skills, abilities, attributes, work ethics, strength, and learning abilities. Some potential employers will accept a written letter of reference or recommendation in lieu of doing a verbal reference check. I recommend obtaining letters of reference as often as possible when you leave a job for three reasons.

1. Because your former supervisor may pass away suddenly.

2. Time flies by and we tend to lose touch with people so trying to track down a former supervisor who’s moved on or retired can be difficult.

3. Accuracy; when a reference letter indicates examples such as your involvement in a particular situation or project. How you made it successful? How you overcome obstacles or challenges in the process? Or how you increase sales?

It’s best to get your employer to write your letter when it’s fresh in their mind. Asking a past employer for a letter or verbal reference years later or even months later can decrease the amount of accurate details. That they included or the impact they felt in the moment that you accomplished that project. If you’re in any type of service industry don’t be afraid to ask for written testimonials from delighted customers and clients.

Hot Tip

Don’t wait until you have an interview before reaching out and confirming who will be a reference for you. If an employer is anxious to hire you they may not be impressed if they have to wait a couple of days. While you gather your references it makes you look unprepared. Plus as a former hiring manager, I have been faced with the tough decision of deciding between two final candidates and I’ve used reference check to help break that tie. If one candidate doesn’t have references ready for me to contact immediately. That could make the difference between who I offer the job to.

I hope today’s tips and strategies help prepare you to succeed in your job search.