Five Things you need to know about your References

One: If you are planning on leaving your current position, go to the Human Resources Department and ask exactly what the company policy is for providing references. You might be surprised to hear that your company is one of a growing trend that force prospective employers to pay for reference information. Not only do these companies refuse to provide details about your work performance, the minimal information they do provide is only given after payment. If you know in advance that this policy applies, you may be able to obtain your work history in writing before you leave your job. Not only will you know what your reference will say, you’ll also be saving a prospective employer both time and money.

Two: Request copies of all evaluations in your file. These evaluations are an excellent resource for job seekers who have worked for companies with a “No Comment” or “Date and Title Only” policy. If you have already left your previous position and would like copies of evaluations, call the Human Resources department to find out about their information release policy. You’ll find that many companies will accommodate your request as long as you sign a release.

Three: Ask your old boss directly if he/she will be willing to provide a reference for you. If your old boss says they agree to speak on your behalf, ask them to clarify their perception of your major accomplishments, your strengths and weaknesses. If you sense any hesitation in their answers, watch out! A good rule of thumb is if they can’t speak candidly with you about your work performance, then you have reason to suspect their opinion may be negative.

Four: Check to make sure all your references’ names and numbers are current. Keep tabs on old bosses you know will give you a good reference. Let’s look at a worst-case scenario: You list Tom, your former boss as a reference. You worked for him for fifteen years and not only does he understand your contributions to the company, you and he enjoyed a great rapport. What you don’t realize is that Tom has changed jobs and the person who replaced him is a former colleague of yours who didn’t like you very much. In this instance, your sure bet reference just turned into a wildcard.

Five: If you are worried that a former boss is giving you a bad reference, ask yourself first if it is warranted. If it is, do as much damage control as you can by addressing any areas of weakness in your skill sets. Take a class to improve your skills. Work on areas that you find to be a struggle. Once you have improved your skills, you can minimize the damage a bad reference will do. What interviewer wouldn’t appreciate having an employee with both the honesty and guts to evaluate themselves and then to take the necessary steps to improve their employability?

If you believe that you are getting an undeserved bad reference, there are things you can do. First, call your old boss and attempt to resolve any issues. If this doesn’t work or you are not comfortable doing so, hire a reference checking company like References-etc to check your references for you. These companies will discreetly check your references and provide you with a report that covers both what was said about you and the tone with which it was said. Once you receive the report, ask yourself if it is honest. If not, contact a lawyer right away. Slander laws vary slightly from state to state but a former employer cannot divulge information about you that is both false and malicious.

Taking these steps will ensure that your references accurately and positively reflect your work history. You’ll be free to walk into any job interview confident that no surprises can hurt your chances of securing your dream job.