Employers and your References

If you’re planning to start a job search and you believe that references aren’t important, think again. Regardless of the job you do, it’s almost guaranteed that an employer will check an average of three of the references you supply. It’s always best to assume that your references will be checked.

Preparing your References

Obviously, it’s important to choose the right people to act as references for you. Your ideal references are people who will say only good things about you, but there’s more to consider than that. Each of your references should be able to describe your professional qualities and state how you contributed to the company you were working in.

You’ll also need to ask each person if they will serve as a reference both as a courtesy measure and to give them preparation time. The people you’ve chosen should be given enough preparation time that they’re ready to be contacted by employers when you start interviewing for jobs.

Questions Employers Ask your References

Employers want to know how whether you were a reliable employee, how successful you were in previous positions, and how well you’ll fit into their company. They may ask for the following information:

• Your dates of employment and salary history
• The reason why you left the job
• The professional relationship between you and the person serving as a reference and the capacity in which they observed your work
• Your key responsibilities in the position
• Your most important contributions to the company
• Roles of any staff who reported to you
• Your relationships with coworkers, reporting staff and supervisors
• Your professional attitude
• Your productivity, attention to detail, and reliability
• Your professional strengths and weaknesses
• An overall assessment of your professional capability, in terms of both your previous position and the one you are being considered for

When do Employers Check References?

Depending on the preferences of the company you’re applying to, an employer will check your references at different stages of the application process. Some employers check references when they’ve narrowed the list down to a few candidates and use the results of reference checks to help make a final decision. Other employers may prefer to save time by waiting until they’re ready to make an offer to a candidate before checking references. It’s best to assume that your references may be checked at any time after your first interview with a company.


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