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Week 9: MilSpouses: Interviewing Afterglow
Prepare and Take Care of Your References
Video Time: 11 Minutes Action Time: Around 1 Hour
1Determine your best options for references. Ask each of them for permission, by either meeting them in person or calling them if they are not local.
2
Inform each of your references.Give them the following information:
- Where you are in the process.
- What position you are applying for.
- What you have completed.
- What you are still waiting to complete.
3Prepare each of your references.
- Coach them on what the company is asking for, the position applied for, the company name/what they do, the name of the person who interviewed you, and specific skills they are looking for.
- Determine 3 strengths you have that are directly related to the job which they can use during the call with the employer.
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE
“Bob is super creative and thinks outside the box. He may struggle in a conservative work environment.”
- Determine 1 weakness you may have that can be turned into a positive.
- Have them ask insider questions that can be relayed back to you. These will give you a better idea of what you can do to improve your chances of landing the job.
- Give your references all of this information both verbally and in written form so they can easily pull it up when speaking to the employer, as a reference for you.
4
Thank your references! You are relying on these people to sell your skills/abilities to the employer in a way that makes you stand out the most in order to get the job.
- Send them a thank-you card, flowers, etc. to express your gratitude, especially if they help you land the job.
- Endorse them, give them a recommendation on LinkedIn, tag them on social media, write a positive testimonial, etc.
- Tag them and mention them as a “mentor” or “supporter” who helped you get where you are today!