How Sorting Your References Can Help You Land Your Dream Job
Are you on the hunt for your dream job but struggling to stand out among the competition? One often overlooked aspect of the job search process is the importance of your references. Having strong, relevant references can make a significant impact on your chances of landing that coveted position. In this post, we’ll discuss how sorting your references can help you secure your dream job.
Why Are References Important?
Before we dive into how to sort your references, let’s first understand why they are crucial in the job search process. References serve as a validation of your skills, work ethic, and character from individuals who have worked closely with you in the past. Hiring managers rely on references to get a better sense of who you are as a candidate and how you may perform in the role they are looking to fill.
How to Sort Your References To Find Your Dream Job
Choose the Right People: When selecting your references, it’s essential to choose individuals who can speak to your strengths and qualifications for the specific job you are applying for. Consider former supervisors, colleagues, or mentors who have firsthand knowledge of your work performance.
Update Contact Information: Make sure you have up-to-date contact information for each of your references. This includes their current email address, phone number, and job title. You want to make it as easy as possible for potential employers to reach out to them.
Categorise by Relevance: Not all references hold the same weight for every job application. Sort your references based on their relevance to the position you are pursuing. For example, if you are applying for a housekeeping role, a reference from a previous head housekeeper may carry more weight than a reference from a different department or line of work
Contact referees ahead of time to warn them you are looking for a job. This call can mean a lot. Tell them that you apologise in advance that they will be contacted and that you understand that their time is precious. Not only is this a courtesy call but it shows that you are planning ahead and will reinforce the positive feeling they have of you. It can act as a reminder to them of the time when you worked for them.
Written references are still accepted, often followed by a phone call to confirm they still stand by the reference that they wrote. This gives instant feedback and can speed up the hiring process.
Bad References
Your employer can give you a bad or unfavourable reference, but only if they genuinely believe it to be true and accurate and have reasonable grounds for that belief.
An employer giving a negative reference must genuinely believe it to be true and have reasonable grounds. This ensures accuracy and fairness in the reference process, benefiting both the employer and the employee. It also encourages transparency and integrity in employment practices, promoting trust and professionalism in the workplace.
What is the difference between corporate references and domestic references?
Corporate references and domestic references serve different purposes. Corporate references are typically used for professional settings, such as job applications or business partnerships. They focus on an individual’s work ethic, skills, and achievements in a professional capacity.
On the other hand, domestic references are received from a private household, either from the employer himself/herself or from their PA/ House Manager. They highlight qualities like reliability, trustworthiness, and compatibility in a more casual or personal setting.
Each type of reference provides valuable insights into an individual’s character and abilities, tailored to the specific context in which they are needed.
If you’re applying for a domestic staff position you’ll be working closely with high-profile families and their luxury properties. So you can almost guarantee your references will be checked. If a family is deciding between you and a handful of other candidates, your reference may be the deciding factor. Sort your references to find your dream job.
We check references for candidates and we believe this is an important part of the process of using a good agency. We know the right questions to ask to extract genuine and important information. If you are searching for work then keep an eye out for jobs on our vacancies page and apply. For more information Contact us.