The 4 Best Ways To Cultivate a Positive Job Reference
How To Stay In Your Professional References’ Good Graces
DETROIT, MI (Dec. 3, 2019) – Personal relationships are the foundation of professional success, so it if you’re searching for a new job, it makes good business sense to stay in touch with your former bosses, says Allison & Taylor, the nation’s oldest professional reference checking firm.
It’s also respectful professional etiquette, and as your career advances, your efforts to stay connected with past employers could pay dividends many times over as they respond to reference requests. Conversely, failing maintain a solid relationship with your references could have long-reaching professional consequences.
“As an employer, if a prospective employee’s former boss neglected to return your call looking for a professional reference, what message would that convey?” asks Jeff Shane, of Allison & Taylor. “Oftentimes, job seekers pay close attention to their resumes and interview skills but fail to nurture their professional references…and a personal commentary can make or break a successful job search”.
There is no replacement for good references- they are a treasure! Do your best to stay in their good graces by making sure they feel valued and well-respected.
Allison & Taylor offers the 4 Best Ways to Cultivate a Positive Job Reference:
- Foster communication. Don’t just assume someone will provide you with a positive reference. Be proactive by contacting your former bosses to ask them if they are willing to be a good job reference for you and thank them for supporting you in your job search if they agree. Then notify them references each time you give out their contact information- that way they’ll be prepared to provide a measured response to inquiry.
- Be judicious in providing reference information. Remember, your references are taking time away from other obligations to help promote you, and they stand to gain nothing by doing so. Provide your references’ contact information only when there’s a real chance of employment, so they’re not inundated with calls and emails from people who are checking your references “just in case.”
- Keep your references informed of your career and educational progress. Provide them with periodic updates, and they’ll be more inclined to see you in a positive light. Plus, they’ll be a more effective reference if they can speak to your current skills and abilities.
- Show appreciation. If you’ve landed a new job, your reference likely played a key role in your hire, so make a special effort to show your gratitude. Write a personal thank-you letter or (at a minimum) send an email. Better still, send a thank-you note with a gift card, or offer to take your former boss to lunch/dinner. However you thank them, be sure to update them with your new professional contact information at the same time, so that you continue to stay in touch.
Are you 100 percent certain your references are relaying positive information to potential employer? It’s critical to be certain of the feedback from your professional references, so you question their responses, have them checked out. A professional reference check can either put your mind at ease or supply you with important information and evidence that they’re blocking your job search efforts.
Allison & Taylor estimates that 50% of the references they check come back as “lukewarm” or “negative”. Don’t let a poor or mediocre reference sabotage your job search! If a reference provides unfavorable or inaccurate information to a prospective employer, there are steps that can be taken to rectify the situation, either through a Cease & Desist letter or through more aggressive legal recourse.
To find out more about reference checking, please visit Allison & Taylor.
About AllisonTaylor
AllisonTaylor and its principals have been in the business of checking references for corporations and individuals since 1984. We are highly acclaimed with employers, employees and the media alike. Compliments and mentions from influential publications and writers at The Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times, Workplace Bullying Institute, ABC Newswire, Forbes, USA Today, Hcareers, Fortune and MyFox News provide insight into our services. AllisonTaylor is headquartered in Rochester, Mich. For further details on services and procedures please visit https://www.allisontaylor.com/
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About JobReferences.com:
JobReferences.com is powered by: Allison & Taylor, a professional reference checking company since 1984. Along with employment verification and background checks, the firm is dedicated to providing professional and executive level employment candidates with a valuable service: Professional reference checking research and reference consulting on the most strategic uses of references to ensure a successful transition to a new job and a new career.
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