Who do you have listed as your referees on your resume? Do you ALWAYS ask beforehand or run with the *she’ll be right* attitude? The truth is, it pays to give this one some thought. Let us explain.
- Always ask a person before listing them as a referee. We receive negative references – more often than you would probably expect and it’s because someone has misunderstood their departure or their relationship.
- Ideally, include referees who you have directly reported to and/or someone senior to you. This can be difficult for some people, especially those who work in contract roles or for themselves. In this instance, consider suppliers or clients – people you worked with professionally.
- Never falsify a reference because you will be found out and people can and do lose their jobs over it.
- Like many recruiters, we understand that things happen. People don’t always get along and sometimes you depart on bad terms. If you didn’t get along with a boss, don’t list them as a referee. Instead, have a conversation with the new employer/recruiter – honesty is the best in this situation.For more practical job seeker tips, like and follow our Facebook page.