These 5 Reference Mistakes May Be Costing You A Job Offer Letter!

Have you ever gone through an entire selection process and made it to the reference check stage only to find out that you won’t be getting the offer letter? It can be quite heartbreaking, especially after you’ve put in a lot of effort and energy into the selection process crafting a CV that sells you well.

 Did you ever think that you might have messed up in the last stages, AKA, the reference check stage?

 Here are 5 reference mistakes you should avoid that may have cost you that offer letter;

1. Not informing your referee in advance

Never surprise a reference with a call from an employer out of the blue. This is a recipe for the individual to be unprepared, inarticulate and likely, unresponsive. Always check with potential references in advance to ensure they will give you an enthusiastic endorsement and find out when and how they want to be contacted.

2. Providing the wrong people.

Employers want details of your capabilities as an employee. Where do you excel? Are you collaborative? Asking friends or family members who will say wonderful things but can’t speak to your professional abilities and work ethic won’t advance your case as a job candidate. You need to provide managers, colleagues, subordinates, clients (if you are client-facing), and even vendors to provide a complete picture.

3. Not preparing your references.

Have you ever been contacted to give a reference without knowing that call was coming? You must prepare your references by letting them know who will be contacting them and what you’d like them to emphasize about your skills. When possible, send them a copy of the job description. If you haven’t been in touch in a while, remind them of specific examples of accomplishments when you worked together.

4. Assuming the reference will be positive

 Even though you think you were a great employee, your past manager may not feel the same way. Countless job seekers have been shocked by the information a former supervisor shared about them. If an employer uncovers a negative reference, you may never hear from them again. If you’re unsure of where you stand, ask your references ahead of time what they’re going to say about you. If they don’t plan to be positive, take them off your reference list and move on.

5. Not thanking your references.

Your references are doing you a big favor. They’re investing their time for you, and they’re putting their reputation on the line. Show your gratitude by thanking them. You are likely to need to call on them more than once.

Finally……

Do not lie. Being dishonest not only includes providing the wrong referee, such as, say, your friend, but also, colluding with said person to do the reference yourself! Where this is the case, it shows a lack of integrity on your part and calls to question how confident you are about your past experiences, contributions, and successes. Did you burn bridges? Were you not a good performer? Did you lie about your past achievements? These are some of the questions that come up when the hiring team discovers that the reference check is dishonest. It’s critical to always remember that your potential employer will be able to see the quality of work you produce and gauge it for themselves once you join the organization, therefore, providing references that are dishonest will most likely backfire because they may not match up to what you do once hired.

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