Reference List

A reference list is a prepared listing of the contact information of colleagues, business associates, and friends who know you well and are willing to give you a glowing recommendation to an inquiring employer.

You may want to include a brief mention of your references in your cover letter, since the notation is no longer a standard part of the resume. Mentioning references is not required part of a cover letter (most hiring managers do not care about your references until after the interview process), but by mentioning your references you imply that you're confident in your abilities and have personal testimonies (references) to back up your success.

Whether you mention you references or not in your cover letter, make sure that you have a carefully prepared reference list ready in case a hiring authority requests one.

When compiling and writing your reference list, include three to six names of people who will be willing to speak with a potential employer about your positive personal and professional attributes. Be sure to choose people who know about your accomplishments and who will give you enthusiastic praise.

When considering your references, first write a long list of potential references. Think of possible references as people you have come in contact with both personally and professionally, who would speak positively to your work ethic and character. Consider people as potential references who have made positive comments about your work or bosses who have been impressed with your performance.

Narrow your long list of possible references down to a short list of references according to this criteria:

The longer you have known your reference, the better.  A reference who has known you for 15 years holds a lot more weight in the potential employers eyes then a reference who states they only worked with you on one project.

Consider the relationship.  Past bosses and co workers are more convincing references than personal friends and relatives, because they are less likely to stretch the truth and will know your work habits.

How recent is the contact?  Relationships that dwindle down to nothing from 10 years ago are not a good reference choice, because that reference can not speak to your current work style.

Evaluate the potential reference's communication skills.  If your reference can't communicate well over the phone, it will be hard for your reference to impress the potential employer. A great reference is someone that is articulate, can communicate enthusiasm, and speak clearly

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