build | Journey

If a potential employer reaches the point where they ask for your references, be happy. Checking references takes time and effort, so usually only candidates who are serious contenders for the position make it to the references stage.

References are people who can speak knowledgeably about your skills, experience, and work habits. Because references have the power to make or break your chances at landing the job, having a list of strong references is very important. Do you have a powerful list of references?

Because pulling together a strong group of references at the last minute can be difficult, let’s take some time and see how you can start developing your “power reference group” right now.

Who You Should List As References
Power references shouldn’t be your mom, a family member, or your best friend. Instead, they should be people you have worked with, worked for, or know professionally. It’s important that your references also have strong qualifications, character, and reputation.

To identify good candidates for your power list, consider:

Co-workers at all levels. Don’t just stick with those in management, but also consider your peers as well.
Customers or clients you’ve worked closely with in a previous job.
Professors, if you are right out of college.
Supervisors at an internship or apprenticeship.
Leaders you’ve had contact with through avenues like volunteer activities.

How To Build Your List
Now it’s time to select and build your reference list. Following these steps can help you get your list in shape:

Select at least three top references.
Contact each one to ask if they can be included on your reference list.
Let them know what types of jobs you are applying for, or, if you have the job listing, which skills you’d particularly like them to emphasize.
Provide them with your resume, awards, and other career material so they can speak intelligently about your accomplishments.
Do not ask them to lie.

Keep Multiple Lists
Another thing to consider is having a different list of references for different jobs. While a community leader or professor may have more pull with a nonprofit, using a former employer, public figure, or company executive may work better for a larger company.

Also, make sure to rotate your references so they don’t get burned out by too many reference calls.

Once you’ve qualified your references and have a good idea of which to use, create a document that includes each person’s name, title, company, email address, phone number, and your relationship to him or her.

Lastly, don’t forget to send a thank-you note to all your references who have agreed to help you land the job.

Do you have any tips on how to find quality references? Share your stories with us in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

There are many reasons you could start working with a new boss. You’ve started a new job, and you’re ready to serve your new supervisor. Or maybe a few years into your job, the management shifts and you have to start working for a new team leader. Whatever the reason, there may be a situation where you want to start building trust with a manager.

Unfortunately, trust isn’t earned overnight. Building trust is like growing a flower. It takes time and attention to grow properly, and needs to have strong roots to keep it from toppling over. If just starting out, it can be difficult to find a place to start or know what to do. Take a deep breath and take a look at these three helpful hints to build trust with your boss.

Under Promise and Over Deliver

Too often, new employees are very eager to impress their supervisors by taking on extra responsibilities and tasks in a shorter amount of time. While it does showcase your enthusiasm and drive, you could also set yourself up for failure. If you want your boss to see your strengths and talents in the long run, make obtainable goals for yourself and aim to accomplish more.

When you strive to finish your projects early, you have the opportunity to let your manager review your final product. This way, your boss will see that you are taking an active interest in your manager’s opinions and have the ambition to create better work quality.

Be Open, Honest, and Ready

Your boss may have different managing styles; some are more hands-on while others are more inclined to delegate and expect occasional updates. No matter how your boss works, you should try to match their style. Set up a schedule of updates for your active supervisor. If you have a more hands-off manager, have your accomplishments, plans, and ideas ready for when your boss wants an update. If you’re not sure, try a scheduled 30-minute meeting with your supervisor every week or every other week to make sure you are up to date with each other.

It’s also important to explain challenges or mistakes you’ve made. Mistakes happen and a good manager will understand and work with you to get the job done. That kind of honesty can go a long way in building trust with your boss because you will be known for being honest when asking for feedback and opinions.

Go Beyond the Shift

Take some time to learn more about your boss on a casual basis. Learning more about your manager as a person can help develop a stronger rapport, which can help strengthen communication. By getting to know a manager on a more personal level, trust is built by connecting with their points of interest. Try going out to lunch a few times to get a glimpse of how your boss is outside of work and find out more about them. When the personal connection and trust has been built, ask for feedback during informal meetings. Developing relationships can create more trust with the relationship.

Building trust with your supervisor doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does take time and patience. Trust isn’t something that can be automatically granted. You have to earn it. If you follow these simple tips on how to build that trust, it can happen naturally, and you can become a better employee at the same time. What are some stories of how you and your boss have built trust?

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