References are so often an afterthought, but they shouldn’t be.  The people you will rely on for a great job reference should be on your mind at least once a month, even if you are not currently looking for a job.  A great reference can make a huge difference in the success of your job search.  For instance, I once had a great candidate that my client company was not excited about.  The candidate perceived that there was a roadblock and had one of his references call me to proactively tell me about this candidate.  That is impressive.  And that is what gets you the job.

What not to do:

1. Don’t give me (the recruiter) or your potential employer a reference who can hardly remember you, or who can't be relied on to call back.

2. Don’t give me your college roommate. I want a work reference...a relevant reference...a GREAT reference.

What to do for a great reference:

1. Make certain that your reference can see you in the job that you are looking to get….(I had one lady tell me that all she could say about my sales candidate was that she was very good in her laboratory – very meticulous).  Great.  That same lady could have said that the candidate showed a lot of leadership, was very persuasive and thrived in interactive meetings.  What a difference that would have made.

2. Prepare your references: "Hey, Joe,  So-and-so may call.  This is the type of job that I am pursuing, so this is what they're looking for. This is very important to me.  Please call me once you have talked with the reference checker, and thanks for all your help."  Asking them to call you will make the reference more responsive to the “reference call” and then he will give you a heads up about how the process is moving.  Remind your reference of what amazing things (specifically) you did for the reference when you worked there.  Help their memory along….

3.  Collect references throughout your career.

• Stay in touch. You can’t expect to get the incredible reference that you are looking for if the reference has not heard from you in 5 years. This is all part of the networking process.   Every 4-5 months, drop them an email or call.  Ask them if there is anything that you can do for them…..Help others, they will definitely help you!
• Before you exit a company, ask your current boss for her personal email and phone number. Stress that you want to stay in touch and could you use her for a reference in the future. Then stay in touch.
• When someone who can speak to your skill sets announces that they are leaving for greener pastures…ask them if you can have their personal email and phone number. Explain that you really enjoyed working with them and you want to keep in touch.
• Link up with old contacts and get new contacts on LinkedIn.  Create a great LinkedIn profile and join sales groups.  Participate in discussions.  Collect these references.

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