It is pretty much the norm to present references upon applying for a job. Whether the position you are applying for asks you for your references before or after the interview, you know it is going to be an important stage in the job application process. Often, references are the deciding factor of if you will be employed or not. It is for this reason that you want to make sure you are acquiring good references and that you leave a job on good terms.
If you are not leaving a company by choice, you will probably negotiate a decent severance package, but you should also negotiate a good professional reference to land your next position, according to Allison & Taylor, a professional reference checking firm.
“The interviewing and reference-checking process is all about impressions,” said Heidi Allison, chief executive officer of Allison & Taylor. “What kind of impression do you think a candidate provides if a so-called professional reference refuses to acknowledge a candidate worked for them? Not good.”
You should also ask your boss what they would say about you upon request for a reference.
People may say that references in writing are old-fashioned, but it may eliminate potential future confusion with ex-employers.
“Letters of recommendation really aren’t effective in today’s job market,” Allison says. “A candidate can work with the letter provider to assure the letter says all the right things so, in the minds of many hiring managers, they have little credibility, no matter who it comes from.”
You should also request that an objective human resource person with whom you did not work gives the reference verifying what you did at your old position. If your ex-boss is hostile toward you and simply hates your guts, you can request that the human resource person gives the reference and remind the boss to temper their comments. There is also a company policy for references that can be clarified for both you and your old boss.
