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Video Time: 5 Minutes Action Time: 5 – 10 Minutes
Video Time: 5 Minutes
Action Time: 5 – 10 Minutes
Showing your appreciation after an interview is important and so is getting references.Determine who would be your best references! It may be hard to start since you don’t have much experience. Some people to ask to include: your professors, previous/current employers, academic advisers, or supervisors.
Call them or meet them in person to ask for their permission to be used as a reference. Always ask and remember to be appreciative! Having a formal conversation helps show the person that you are genuinely interested in their help.
Let them know what is going on with your job search: where you are in the job search, what positions you are applying for, the process, and what you are lined up for. This will help them be as specific as possible when giving any recommendations. They should be excited for you and encouraging! If they aren’t, don’t use them as references!
Set the stage for them to help you by coaching them on what a particular company is asking for, the position, the title, the company name, and the name of the person who interviewed you. Remember you want to give them as much information as you can so they can help you as much as possible. This means you may have to do some work, it’s not all on them!
Come up with three strengths for them to use during the call that pertains to the job and one weakness that can be made into a strength. For example, if Robert is my reference, I would say to him “Robert, the 3 strengths I’d like for you to talk about are problem-solving, communication, and understanding the big picture. If they ask for a weakness, please mention that I’m super creative/artistic and will not do well in a conservative/traditional environment. Give your references the information about you in both verbal and written form so they can easily pull it up when speaking as a reference for you.
Down below, we have a quick step-by-step format you can use for your written and verbal communication with your references!
1Have your references be your personal private eye, you want them to ask insider questions like, “Where does SJ rank in the candidates that you are interviewing?” “Do you have any concerns about her?” Whatever they learn, have them follow up with YOU! Knowing where you stand can make you less anxious, so try to find references who you personally connect with.
2Then I would say something like “Hey Robert if they say anything about me, can you please let me know what it is so I can use that info to help me get the job?” Having this insider knowledge can not only help you land the job you currently want, but could also help you make adjustments on how you approach future job searches.
3 It’s all about GRATITUDE! Thank them again! They are your salesperson, private eye, and insider reporter. They are selling your skills to help tip the scales in your favor. Especially if they do a great job and help you get the job, send them a “Thank You”! You could send flowers, a gift card, or thank you card. You could also write them a testimonial, a recommendation, or an endorsement on their LinkedIn profile. Maybe even brag about them on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Talk about what a great friend, mentor, or supporter they were for you and tag them so they can see your kind words. Remember they took time out their own busy schedule to help you, so you can do the same. Next time you go to post that selfie, consider taking a minute to show some love to someone who helped you out on your career journey!
BONUS SUPER LINKS:
3 Follow-up Email Templates That Are Pretty Hard for a Hiring Manager to Ignore
The Right Way to Follow Up After a Job Interview
How to Write the Perfect Post-Interview Thank You Note
That’s the end of our Week 09 – see you next week for “Negotiating and Managing Multiple Offer Letters”. Have a Super Day!