Redefining what a “Great” Reference Really is

For the most part when you conduct an employment reference, the answers are overall very positive, after all people generally only provide references if they know the referee has good things to say about them!

But occasionally you do conduct an employment reference that is not gleaming or packed with wonderful things about your work ethic and capabilities and with social networking playing a big part in the employment process these days your reputation and your previous references are more important than ever.

So what happens if you have a “bad” referee or reference that you are worried about haunting you from a previous role? And how can you make the most of a “blip” in your career history?

The employment relationship is a complicated one with many variables. It is safe to assume that at some point in your career you will work with someone you “clash” with, you will have a terrible boss, you’ll work with someone that simply doesn’t like you or you’ll find yourself in a role that does not showcase your talent.

So is it fair to expect that every employer will have excellent things to say about you? I believe that most people have a skeleton in their previous employment closet that they are keen to avoid at all costs!

For clients, it is important to remember that a reference should be used as just that, a reference point to understand more about the applicants work style, preferences, strengths and areas for improvement. Take it with a pinch of salt, as an employer, during the reference checking phase; ask yourself questions like “What type of manager am I?”, “What type of person do I really need for this role?” and “Does this person actually need to have done the role before?”. These questions will help you assess what’s really important and ensure that you use the reference check as another objective tool in the overall selection process.

As a candidate before you put forward your favourite colleagues and mates as your references, ask yourself “Even if my past boss did not like me, can they give an accurate description of my work style?”, “Would that boss I struggled with employ me again under different circumstances?”, and “Can this person identify areas for me to improve in my next role”. Instead of fearing criticism, use your references as career development opportunities!

Some of the best references that I have ever conducted have been handed to me with great reluctance by the candidate “I don’t know if he will say very good things about me as we had a personality clash”, “I didn’t really enjoy that role, so it might not be the best reference”. So imagine my surprise when I take a really comprehensive, honest and valuable reference! Sometimes our nightmare roles and managers are able to accurately describe our strengths and areas for improvement - and what better way to start a new role with a manager who has referenced your good work and your not so good work and offers you the job with an open mind as to your strengths and your limitations!

A great reference does not necessarily mean that the person said all good things about you, it does not mean they rattle off all your achievements and merits and make you sound like you are the guru of all things required for the potential job. No, a great reference highlights some of the things you do really well, some of the things you might need to watch out for and improve and your preferred management style.

Top Tips for Getting Great References:

• Keep in touch - With all your previous Managers, whether you like them or not, they managed you and play a big part in shaping your professional reputation!
• Don’t Provide Scripts! If you do ask someone to be your reference, don’t remind them of certain things that you want them to say about you, let your reference be natural as this is more accurate.
• Never Burn Bridges! If you did leave on uncertain terms, ask your old manager for a coffee, speak to them openly about what worked and did not work whilst you worked with them.
• Provide Managers not colleagues - Providing a colleague as one of your references is OK, but it is more relevant to provide management references, if you didn’t get along with your manager just let the reference taker know this, so they can probe and ask questions to accurately understand your work style and preferences.
• Refresh your Reputation - If you are applying for a job and you haven’t spoken to your reference in a while, take them for a coffee or give them a call, this is a good opportunity to network and keep them abreast of your career development and achievements.

Remember, a bad reference is not the end of the world! It is unrealistic to expect that people are in the best role for them at all times, but by learning about our past successes and failures, we are more likely to find a better job fit.

So embrace your references from previous roles, even the disastrous ones and start capitalising on the experience you have gained in your career for future success!