Job References

A job reference is when someone vouches for your skills, experience, qualifications and abilities to a potential employer. 

Years ago you would need to ask this person to write a letter of recommendation which you would pass on to your prospective employer. Nowadays you will be asked to include their name and contact details as part of your application form. The employer may then contact them to ask about you, your previous employment, skills and qualifications and why you are the right person for the job. 

The employer may not always contact your references. Some employers may only contact them if they are going to offer you the job or if you are in the top 3 or 4 candidates.

People you could ask to provide a reference: 

• Teacher/lecturer
• Current/previous manager if you are currently employed or have worked before 
• If you participate in volunteering you could ask your supervisor or another volunteer 
• Work experience placement supervisor 
• Leaders of any clubs you attend (provided they appropriate)

If you are struggling to find someone don’t worry. Although references should be a previous employer or academic if you are applying for your first job you can ask someone who knows you well and can vouch for your skills and qualities (as long as they are not a relative). 

When deciding who could provide you with a reference there are a few things to consider: 

Will they be happy to do it? You must always ask someone before you put their name down. You wouldn’t want an employer to suddenly contact them unexpectedly. 

Give them a heads up. If the employer tells you that they are going to contact your references it may be a good idea to let them know that they are about to be contacted. Assuming you know this already, you could also tell them how they will be contacted and what they need to do. For example, will they receive a phone call, an email or perhaps sent an online form to complete? 

Can this person say something good about you? Ideally, they should be able to talk about your skills, any achievements and what makes you the right candidate. They should also be able to back this up with some examples. If this person cannot do this they may not be the right person to provide a reference. 

Say thank you. Remember to say thank you to your references especially if you get the job. Writing a job reference for someone is not as easy as you may think.