A Good Employment Reference Brings Value

Value of a good employment reference!

Everyone knows the value of a good employment reference to help you stand out in a job search. Lining up a good employment reference is a key part of an effective job search and you want to do it before graduation.

A good reference, of course, does not only have to come in the form of a letter, but can be via conversation with a recruiter, an endorsement on LinkedIn or just in the fact someone refers you for a job.

Many of us who hire people for a living as HR professionals will often say that the reference letter might actually be worth less than the piece of paper on which it is written.   Let's face it, although it does happen, most people who commit to being an employment reference will only say good things about you.

This article by Lindsay Olsen addresses, what she calls The Ins and Outs of Providing References.  Olsen recommends that you create a separate list of references after asking your contacts to support you this way.

Knowing how and who to ask to be a good employment reference for you can really take a job search to the next level.