References Available Upon Request

Does that little title ditty sound familiar? Of course it does. In bygone days, everyone slapped that closing belch at the end his or her résumé. Leaving it off amounted to a violation of imaginary résumé etiquette.

Over the years, the phrase has gone the way of manual typewriters and dial-up phones. Only troglodytes cling to such relics. Nonethe­less, job references continue to be a critical factor in the hiring process.

The focus of this involves something else. The story of Julius Caesar comes to mind. Caesar, as you may recall was cogently paranoid. Strangers never got close. Even those he knew were kept at a distance. Only the most trusted Praetorian Guardsmen were allowed to approach.

Caesar’s demise did not come from afar, but rather from his most trusted.

When we hurriedly scramble to assemble references, we often choose those we trust the most, or perhaps those who will do us the least harm. We certainly do not anticipate them flashing a grin and sticking a shiv between our ribs.

Crazy as this may sound, that is exactly what can happen should you assemble your references hastily. Not everyone has your best interest at heart. Your odds are actually better trusting a stranger than selecting a fair-weather friend.

Should you be fortunate enough to have an established celebrity reputation, references are not required. Your reputation speaks for itself. Everyone else needs to line up a cast of characters who can verify either your integrity or skillsets.

Therein lies the challenge. You need to have a serious sit-down with each selection. Should you perceive the slightest hint the reference might pose a lukewarm endorsement, that individual needs to be discretely eliminated from consideration.

The higher you rise within the socio-employment pecking order, the more critical this becomes. As a top-level Caesar, you would be safer to select references from the bottom of the rung than to select someone garrulously willing to damn you behind your back.

Believe what you will, but an endorsement from the janitor could carry more weight than a colleague. How you engage the lowest employee says more about your character than will a patronizing colleague.

Most jobseekers give little thought to their references until the last hour. Then, the task becomes a hurry-up-and-get-done chore. Analyze your choices carefully. Take noth­ing for granted, lest you end up only slightly better off than old Julius.

On a closing note,  stay in contact with each reference, even if it’s only to take each one to lunch once a month. The reference you befriend might be the one who can save your bacon.

 Copyrighted © 2014 by Robert James

References Sheets

Avoid including your Reference (or Reference Sheet) when sending your résumé or vitae, unless it is expressly requested. Also, do not place "References Available Upon Request" (belch) at the bottom of your material. That's a given.

In preparing references, stay between three and five, but no more. Employers are interested in your professional (employment-related) references--not your personal ones. And, just because you have a cousin or other relative with a different last name, it is not wise to think you can fool a sharp-eyed HR individual. You wouldn't be the first person on the planet to think of that.

While there is no set format for listing your references, the following is suggested:

     Individual's Name, Title/position       (Telephone)
     Company/Organization                        email address
     Address
     Years known:

Be sure to include your name, address, phone number and email somewhere at the top of the reference sheet. If you want to appear coordinated, copy the format heading from your résumé or vitae.