Reference Checks: How Bad References Cost You Jobs

There is no such thing as bad reference checks.

I've heard this statement mentioned numerous times and I can tell you from experience it is simply not true.

Once, when conducting a reference for a woman I was helping find a job, I left a voice message for her former manager.

He called me back within the hour and let me know the following:

"I cannot say anything positive about [name withheld]. She left me in the lurch when she quit, was totally unprofessional and is not someone I would recommend."

Obviously her boss didn't have as high an opinion of her as she thought he did.

How could someone totally misread how their former manager felt about them and worse, think that this person would help them find a new job?

Jobs are lost when reference checks fall apart like this one did.

Yes, there is such a thing as a bad reference! Needless to say, I stopped trying to help this woman with her job search after this incident.

Good reference checks won't get you the job on their own, but a bad one can cost you a job.

Yes, bad reference checks DO happen and they CAN cost you a job.

If you find that your job interviews go very well but when you get to the reference check stage, things seem to fall apart, you might need to assess your list of references because you might be losing jobs because of them.

The people you are utilizing as references might not speak as highly of your background as you think.

Reference Checks: Fundamentals

They are asking people who know you better than they do for advice. It is an insurance policy and due diligence that is completed to assure the hiring manager that they are making the right decision by hiring you.

References are not a formality and need to be considered very carefully before you start handing out names to companies during the interview process.

With that in mind, make sure you follow these guidelines when considering who you will use:

1. Put together a list of about 4 people who you can use as references at any given time. A typical company will do 3 references before extending a job offer so having a spare one helps if you can't get hold of one of them quickly ie. if they're on holiday.

2. Choose business associates who know you best. Include a former manager(s), former colleague(s) and perhaps even satisfied customers if possible. Do not include relatives or friends.

3. Choose your references well. Not everyone is a good communicator. Ideally, choose good communicators who will freely discuss your background rather than simply answering questions with "yes" or "no" answers.

4. Speak with your references before you start using them. The best reference is a well-prepared reference who knows in advance who will be calling them and why! Tell your references what job you are applying for so that they know what skills are most important to the hiring company. Ensure that your references have an updated copy of your resume.

Parting Shots

If your references give you anything other than a glowing recommendation, the warning bells may go off in the mind of the hiring manager. If you find that you are losing jobs at the reference check stage, this is most likely a result of one or more of your references actually hurting you and not helping you.

If this appears to be an ongoing problem, you might have to approach one of more of your references and have a heart to heart with them and ask them for an honest assessment of how they really feel about you to determine whether or not you should keep utilizing them.

Maybe this person doesn't think of you as highly as you think they do.

You need people who will tell the truth but who will give you glowing reference checks.

Reference Letters
Reference letters tend not to be used anymore as part of reference checks. Click the link to see why.

Reference Check Questions
During the reference check phase, there are some commonly asked questions that tend to be brought up and asked about you. Click the link to see what questions might be asked about you and why you need to ensure you're picking the right people to act as your references.

Return from Reference Checks to Find Your Dream Career