Job references

[Tiggeroo]

I have just graduated with my teaching certificate and dh is currently putting out feelers for a new position. I have a question about references. DH needs to apply for a job where they are asking you to send your resume and two references. He has a good deal of experience in his field. It doesn't say what type of references they are asking for. He does mention that his current employer will provide excellent references but he won't give that name to anybody but serious inquirers. (ie. when that is the only thing between you and the job as he doesn't want his employer to know he's looking). So who should he put on this list?
I am applying for a large number of substitute teaching positions as well as a several little low-level temp jobs in retail for the holidays. I have been a substitute teacher for a long time at two schools as well as recently completing student teaching. Other then this I have been a SAHM. In several months I will be beginning the process of looking for a full time teaching job or a long term sub position. Every application asks me to give references and they at times say letters will be mailed to all. I have a limited pool to choose from. I don't want to bother these people every other day with a reference especially to ask them to keep filling out letters. I would prefer to save these requests for when I am going for a full time teaching position. How would you handle this. If I have a good employment history and they can call hr at my jobs to confirm this, a criminal background check, a certificate in good standing... do you think it would matter if I don't put references in every application for even entry level positions?

 

[golfgal]

For your DH most applications will ask if they can contact your references, saying no shouldn't hurt his chances as they will see he is currently employed and people know that it could hurt his current job.

For you, when I was doing the teaching job application route we had a package that the college sent on our behalf that included 3 letters of reference from whom ever we had (I had a couple professors and my cooperating teacher). All of that was mailed along with our transcript right from the school. You might want to check with your college to see if this is how they handle things too.

 

[AnneR]

For DH, he could also ask for a recommendations from customers or other professional contacts. Not knowing the industry thinking of my line, there are individual with whom I have completed projects that could write a recommendation for me.

At some point in the hiring process, we always check with at least one prior supervisor but having a resume that is accompanied by recommendations that describe the skills and abilities of an applicant goes a long way.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Thanks guys. My school helped us create a portfolio with reference letters, resume, sample lesson plans etc. They don't send it out to our prospective employers. I have a very good package however, for the full time teaching gigs. The problem is I don't want to ask these people, I am saving the best, to do this for me now for 7-10 schools that I am applying for as a sub and the retail mall jobs when in six months I want them to absolutely do it for me for the full time teaching jobs.
For dh he lists his employers and supervisor names on his resume and states that additional references are available upon request. His industry does not really do applications. You fax and email or post resumes online. This job is odd in that in the very beginning they want your resume along with two references. And this is before they even meet with you. I like the idea of choosing several satisfied customers. He could definitely do that. I was trying to think of who would be appropriate other then his previous supervisors and employers, who are on the resume.
Another difficulty he had was that for over half of his employment he was a union journeyman. He worked for individual employers but ultimately he worked where the union sent him. On the resume it appeared to be job hopping when in reality it was that a job was over and the union sent him to another or he was forced to work non-union for a time while waiting for the union to call him up when he was obligated to return to what they had. To provide him with the opportunity to get into the door and explain this I switched his resume to a functional format. I also separated the jobs base on union and non-union. I am hoping that most employers in this trade will see this and understand. He is no longer seeking union work as it is scarce. He would prefer to stay put for as long as possible. Does this make sense?

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Just please don't put anyone that you are related to or that lives in the same house as you. I had a young lady in for an interview today that put down three references on her resume... her mother, her boyfriends mother (whom she lives with), and some one she used to work with but his voicemail is full and we can't even get in contact with him

 

[etoiles]

hi!

I wanted to say that the majority of these positions, while they ask for references, most likely will not contact them unless the application states otherwise. For the past 1 1/2 years I searched for a teaching position and applied to MANY, MANY different places and only three people ever contacted my references. Two of those three were from daycare type temp positions in which they stated references would be called and they would hire me immediately thereafter. One of those was from the school that ultimately hired me as a teacher. So, don't worry about every single place contacting your references because from my experience I was thankful if they even appeared to have looked at my resume at all.

Also, I listed colleagues as references and only listed a supervisor when specifically asked to do so because like your DH, I did not want to jeopardize my current job. (I trusted my colleagues to keep the reference thing to themselves) The employer who spoke with my colleagues told me what wonderful things they had to say and I believe that made a big dent in me getting hired so I do not think supervisors are necessary as references.

Whatever happens, good luck!

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I have had several former students contact me and ask if they could list me as a reference. (I teach graduate level courses) I always tell them its okay.

The only time I have been contacted was when they were already into the hiring process and the HR person was interested in if I thought they would be a good employee for them.

I would contact former instructors of yours and ask. If the school you attended had guidance and/or placement personnel, they might be a good resource for a reference.

 

[FireDancer]

I work in the technology field and always use people I know personally who are in the same or at least similar field. This kills two birds with one stone so to speak because they become both personal and professional references. I've worked on I.T. related stuff with many of them and have at least had technology related conversations so they know I know what I am talking about. At the same time I have also gone on trips or to weddings or watched their kids for them or just lived life with them so they know what I am like as a functioning member of society.

It is a powerful reference when someone says the asked me to consult on a project with them at work and also had me babysit their newborn. It shows a level of trust that neither would have on its own. As someone who is consulted when hiring that is exactly the kind of reference that I would look for.

Something else to think about that many people don't is to make sure there is nothing on any social site that will make you a less desirable employee. We do pretty extensive web searches on prospective employees and a bunch of photos of you passed out on a coffee table on your friends Facebook page is not the kind of impression you want to make.