{"id":842,"date":"2022-07-20T13:23:34","date_gmt":"2022-07-20T13:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/?p=842"},"modified":"2024-03-25T14:35:47","modified_gmt":"2024-03-25T18:35:47","slug":"professional-references","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/basics\/professional-references","title":{"rendered":"What Are Professional References?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After applying, interviewing<\/a>, and waiting, you got a job offer. But the written offer notes it\u2019s contingent on your professional references, and you have no idea who to ask or how to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re a student who\u2019s never worked before<\/a> or someone with several jobs under your belt, searching for professional references can make anyone a little nervous. However, asking the right people and using the right approach will ensure you have professional references that sing your praises and help you land the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Professional Reference?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Professional references are people who can speak to your skills and abilities as a professional. While professional references are often people you\u2019ve worked with (or for) in a paid setting, people you\u2019ve worked with in unpaid roles (like volunteering or an internship<\/a>) can also be professional references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Personal Reference?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Personal references are people who can speak to your personal traits, like being dependable, honest, or friendly. While these are excellent soft skills<\/a> that can help you on the job, employers want to know about the hard and<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>soft skills<\/a> you possess, like how you juggle tasks, handle competing deadlines, or work with clients. That\u2019s why they ask for professional references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do You Really Need Professional References?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your job offer is almost always contingent on having positive professional references. While you may not have needed them to land a summer or part-time job in high school or college, when it comes to most postsecondary jobs, you\u2019ll need at least two to three professional references to secure the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE:<\/strong> How to Accept a Job Offer (With Examples)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The employer wants to ensure you\u2019ll be a good hire who performs well in the job. While your education and experience demonstrate your ability, Olga Eippert, former director of people operations at Forage, says employers use professional references to verify candidate claims. \u201cDo they really have the knowledge and skills to do the job, and are they a good fit for the role?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional references are also used to gauge your potential beyond your application, helping your potential new boss learn more about your professional trajectory and career growth. This, in turn, helps them see how you could contribute to the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who to Use as a Professional Reference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Coworkers and supervisors from part-time, full-time, or even seasonal jobs can act as professional references. While you don\u2019t have to ask a supervisor to be your reference, it\u2019s a good idea to have at least one supervisor and one coworker reference. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The relationship with your supervisor is different than with your colleagues. Having one of each allows the hiring manager <\/a>to hear different perspectives on how you interact with the team and workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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While you can ask someone at your current job to act as a professional reference, use caution. If you ask your boss to be a reference and for some reason, things don\u2019t work out with the potential new job, you may damage your working relationship. They may consider you a \u201cflight risk,\u201d which could create an uncomfortable work environment. Current coworkers are excellent alternatives to your supervisor, as long as they can keep the information about your job search and pending offer under wraps until you\u2019re ready to resign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To avoid any possible problems at your current job, it\u2019s best to use former supervisors and coworkers as your professional references. However, if that\u2019s not in the cards for you and you can\u2019t or don\u2019t want to use anyone you\u2019re currently working with, you can still find professional references to help you land the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supervisors and coworkers from unpaid internships or volunteer experiences can also act as professional references. Students could consider asking a professor who supervised their work (like a long-term project or experiment). While none of these scenarios are paid jobs, they are all work experiences that can help the employer better understand how you\u2019ll perform as an employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE:<\/strong> Asking for a letter of recommendation<\/a> is similar to asking for a professional reference. Learn how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Ask for a Professional Reference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No matter who you ask to be a professional reference, it\u2019s essential to ask them as professionally as possible. Whether you ask virtually, over the phone, or in person, follow these tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Consider Who to Ask<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Make sure the person acting as your reference is someone who will say positive things about you and your abilities. For example, if you had a rocky relationship with a former boss, you might be better off asking someone else, even if that individual is your only \u201creal\u201d manager. If you\u2019re not positive an individual will give you a glowing reference, it\u2019s better to skip them and move on to someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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2. Give Them an Out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some people have a blanket policy that they won\u2019t give professional references for anyone. Other people may not have the time. Whatever the reason, give your potential professional reference a way out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, you might include something like, \u201cPlease don\u2019t feel pressured to act as a professional reference for me. I completely understand if you can\u2019t.\u201d This makes it easier for the person to say no if they have to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. You May Need to Ask Twice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The best time to line up your professional references is long before you need them. Ideally, you\u2019ll network<\/a> and connect with people while you\u2019re working with or for them. And if you feel comfortable asking them to act as a reference for you in the future, go for it! It\u2019s a fantastic time to ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if that feels awkward to you, it\u2019s also OK to wait until you or that person is leaving the company (whether that\u2019s due to moving to a new job, an internship ending, or something else). Even if you don\u2019t need the person to act as a professional reference now, you might need them in the future. If they agree, make sure to keep in touch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>RELATED:<\/strong> How to Find and Reach Out to Recruiters on LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, you likely won\u2019t need a professional reference until you\u2019re offered the job. At that time, you should reach out to your professional reference and ask if they are still up to the task. The one drawback, though, is that you may have to wait a few days before supplying your references to the employer while waiting for your references to get back to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, you may want to give your references a heads-up as you begin the job search. This way, you can send the contact information to the employer sooner and it gives you time to find alternative references in case someone is unwilling or unavailable when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Give Your References to a Potential Employer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Notify your references that they can expect a phone call or email from your potential new employer. If you haven\u2019t been in contact with your references during your job search, let them know before<\/em><\/strong> you give the reference to the employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t give them a head\u2019s-up, they may be caught off guard when a random person from a random company contacts them for information about you. While they still may have only positive things to say about you, a reference who\u2019s surprised may be a red flag to your potential employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give the employer your reference\u2019s contact information. This includes their name, title, phone number, and email address, as well as their preferred method of contact. You should also include any pertinent information the employer may need (like your reference\u2019s work hours or scheduled vacations).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Eippert advises candidates to provide more references than the employer requests. This way, if one reference is difficult to get in touch with, the employer has other options. She also advises candidates to consider providing references even when the employer doesn\u2019t specifically ask for them: \u201cIt shows that you have initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional References Examples<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here’s an example of what to send to a potential employer who wants to see your professional references:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Employers May Ask Your References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While every employer has their method for conducting background checks, there are a few common questions you can expect a hiring manager to ask your references:<\/p>\n\n\n\n