Your References May Cost You Your Job – 5 Mistakes You Should Know About

Most people put references on their CVs without knowing that these references – which are normally inserted to boost the chances for selection in any given interview – can actually short-circuit your chances to be selected. Check out the mistakes that may cost you the job:

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1. The References You Mention are Inappropriate or are Not Relevant - Choose references that will help your potential employers judge your fit to the job you're applying for. Hence, the references should be able to recommend and discuss intelligently your skills pertaining to the job you applied for. Therefore, be careful who you list as your reference; if they cannot talk about your relevant skills in relation to the job you're applying for, the potential employers might think you lack the level of competency/skills required for the job.
   
   
2. You Do Not Inform Your References about Using Their Names for the Interview - When the recruiter makes the call to your reference, he/she should be expecting it. This is important, even if this person knows you well and you are sure they would not give any negative remarks about you. If the person is taken by surprise, it puts you in a poor light. It shows you as unprofessional.
   
   
   
   
   
3. You Do Not Ensure that the References are Available - Most recruiters make a decision after they talk to the references. Hence, it is very important that you not only tell your references to expect a call from your potential employer, but also ensure that there are enough ways to contact listed so the recruiter can reach them whenever they need to. It is customary to give the phone number and email address. You could also mention the best time to reach them so the recruiter will not attempt to contact them when they are busy and cannot take the call.
   
   
4. You Give References Names because they are Relevant, But You Don't Really Know What They Think of You - Do not gamble with the chances of getting the job you're looking for. If you do not know what the reference might say, do not use their name. Most recruiters will call a few of your references, and if the references comments are poor, they do not remember you, or they say anything negative - it will cost you the job. This is definitely not worth risking.
   
   
5. You Do Not Brief Your References - You need to do more than just inform your references that you have mentioned them in your CV for the so-and-so job. You need to brief them on what the job entails and what skills, qualifications and performance areas they should focus on. If they refer to things that are not pertaining to the job, you won't get it.

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