What Employers Want from Job References
| August 4, 2010 | Posted by admin under DECLARE - Network/Interview |
What Employers Want from Job References
by Yahoo! HotJobs staff
A great resume and solid interview skills may place job seekers in the running for a position, but a new survey conducted by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service, finds that the results of a reference check can really be what makes–or breaks–a job search. Hiring managers interviewed for the survey said they remove about 21 percent of candidates from consideration after speaking to their professional contacts.
Managers also were asked, “When speaking to an applicant’s job references, what is the most important information you hope to receive?” Their responses:
Description of past job duties and experience: 36 percent
A view into the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses: 31 percent
Confirmation of job title and dates of employment: 11 percent
Description of workplace accomplishments: 8 percent
A sense of the applicant’s preferred work culture: 7 percent
Other/don’t know: 7 percent
OfficeTeam offers five tips for creating a reference list that works in your favor:
1. Choose wisely.
2. Check in beforehand.
3. Be prepared.
4. Think outside the box.
5. Give thanks.
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