6 Tips for Serving As A Reference

By Victoria Robertson on May 30, 2018

When it comes to references, it’s one thing to ask for an employer to serve as a reference, it’s another entirely to act as one.

When acting as a reference for the first time, it can feel a bit confusing, as you want to do a good job while simultaneously being truthful and honest. However, how do you do that when you’ve never done it before?

Acting as a reference is a huge responsibility, and so doing it correctly is important. For that reason, here are six tips to follow if you are serving as a reference for the first time.

Photo Via: pixabay.com

1. Determine the type of reference

When you’re leaving a reference, this could mean many things. For instance, you could be contacted by phone, asked to fill out a form, or asked to write a professional reference letter. Whatever the format, you need to be prepared to successfully act as a reference.

In the event of a phone reference, you will likely be asked a series of questions by a third party, which means your answers don’t need to be too elaborate, but rather you’ll be speaking quickly to a set of questions meant to determine whether or not the individual is a good fit.

In the event of a form, you will either need to answer a list of questions related to the specific position or regarding the individual’s professionalism, or both. In a professional reference letter, you will write out a letter meant to speak to an individual’s strengths and capabilities which can be specific or broad, depending on the type of reference requested.

2. Only speak to what you can

The biggest mistake you can make when giving a professional reference is to speak to more than you’re able to. Honesty is always the best policy, especially when giving a professional reference. As a general rule of thumb, if you can’t speak to it, then don’t.

It can get an individual into a situation they aren’t ready for if you lie about someone’s capabilities. For that reason, only to speak to what you’re able to, and if asked something you aren’t sure about, always let them know you aren’t sure or that you can’t speak to that aspect of the job.

3. Keep it simple

Despite popular belief, when giving a professional reference, keeping it simple is far better than giving a long-winded explanation of someone’s abilities. Instead, the more simple you can be, the better off your reference check will be.  So avoid speaking for too long regarding someone’s capabilities, and simply give a quick, detailed explanation of what you can.

4. Be specific

Just as you should be keeping your references simple, you should be as specific as possible when giving a reference check. It’s far better for the individual you’re giving a reference for if you’re detailed and specific than it is to be broad and indirect. That being said, there are instances in which being broad can be more beneficial (discussed in the point below).

Generally speaking, being specific provides an interviewer a more thorough and detailed background of a potential candidate. So the more information you are able to give, the more helpful your reference will be.

5. Be broad

With the above note, it’s also important to realize that sometimes a more broad description is necessary. For example, when speaking to a point that you aren’t sure on, such as a candidate’s Microsoft capabilities, it’s better to broadly let the interviewer know they’re familiar with the program than it is to specifically outline their proficiencies.

Unless the position is directly related to specific Microsoft products, it’s not important to spend a long period of time speaking to something that most people are proficient in. You should be attempting to differentiate the candidate, so time is better spent on other topics.

6. Let the individual know

A point that many people forget after giving a reference is to let the candidate know you were contacted. You don’t need to speak to what you said in the reference check, but it’s always nice to let the candidate know they were contacted, as then they are aware as to whether or not they’re still in consideration for the position.

Serving as a reference takes a lot of work, especially if you’re taking it seriously. It’s a lot more than simply saying that you think somebody is good at something, as there are many components to a reference check that you may not have considered otherwise.

So keep this list of six tips in mind when completing your next reference check and remember to be honest, as it’s in your best interest, the interest of the student asking for the reference and in the best interest of the potential employer.

Good luck!

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