Check Your References When Applying
Yes, it could be mere coincidence that your most promising prospects have cooled after the references came on the scene and in this labor market, with many candidates for each vacancy, it is entirely possible that the company in which there simply are seeking employment found someone who would be more suitable.
However, it is not over for a moment consider the responses of human resource managers who were asked to recall the most striking finding of references that had made recently. Here is a taste of the results obtained by The Creative Group, the recruitment firm in Silicon Valley that led the survey:
* "Someone used her mother as a reference. Saying that he had not even worked with her."
* "We learned that the woman who liked shoes walked barefoot all day."
* "We talked to someone who said the candidate did not like the industry in which they tried to get a job."
* "The reference said that the person falls asleep during office hours."
* "A university professor recommended it to someone who seemed very intelligent, but never mentioned that he had been seen using any kind of shoes except flip flops."
* "The reference would not stop talking about music, bars and social activities of the favorite candidate."
* "The guy I called just started to laugh. He could not believe what that person would have as a reference."
God! There is no doubt that the candidates concerned would be ashamed if you hear the comments. But still much less damaging comments can undermine your job search.
"Even a subtle lack of enthusiasm can turn against you," says Megan Slabinski, executive director of The Creative Group.
Try to discover what might be going wrong in your relationships with people you use as references. Some questions for you:
* You are informed in advance that they would provide their names and contact information and references enlistarías?
* Would you explain what kind of work looking for, and what would emphasize about yourself when the call?
* Do you have an updated copy of your curriculum?
* Would you have given thanks for their willingness to speak well of you, even if no one has called them?
* Would you favor has made some recently (or ever)?
If you answer "yes" to all the above questions, it is a good start. Then, consider if your references are still in the works that you create.
"Be sure to keep in frequent contact with your references," says Heidi Allison, CEO of Allison & Taylor, a firm that conducts reference checks for job applicants who want to verify what is said about them.
"If the person is no longer there to answer questions, the call could be transferred to another member of the company that might not talk to you so positive."
If the contact information of all your references are correct, contact the human resources department of your previous job to make sure your records match what you put in your curriculum, advised Allison. Sometimes companies are wrong on the dates of work, employment and wages of its staff.
"Perhaps you're even in the records of human resources," says Allison. "This happens more often than you think, especially in the case of mergers, not all records are transferred to the new system.
Because many companies do not keep records of contractors or consultants in their systems, it is often the case for self-employed workers. It is not good for a potential employer call and tell you that there are no records of you ever worked there. "
Let's say that verifying all the above points and everything seems in order. Perhaps your references, for any reason, unable to speak so wonderfully as you might.
"If your benchmark is somewhat less than complimentary, he or she affect your chances of getting the job you want," says Allison. "You need to know that person is doing everything possible to give a good impression of you."
If you have any questions, give referrals considered different.
"The best references are not necessarily those with the most amazing posts, but those who can speak more persuasively about your merits," said Megan Slabinski. "You need to actively manage your references, but you should know that, often, employers make their own explorations to discover more about the candidates.
Each and every one of your former co-workers and managers could be used as references. That is why it is wise to stay on good terms with everyone. I never want to burn the ships. "
