Snagajob member, Jessica G. ran into a common problem when searching for jobs – needing references when you don’t have much work experience.
References can be a very powerful tool in your job search. Even if the employer does not request you give them references, always take a list of three with you into the interview. If the topic never comes up, offer them before you leave. However, many employers do require you submit references with your resume. So, what should you do if you have little or no work experience?
Jessica was looking for her first job and realized she had a network of people who could attest to the type of employee she would make.
“For references I listed 3 teachers that I’m on good personal terms with, that can talk about my work ethic and participation.”
Using a teacher is a great idea, Jessica! Make sure to only use the ones who you have a good relationship with (and where you are making good grades!). By showing the employer that you are a dedicated student, you are proving your willingness to learn. Enjoy your new job at Haagen-Dazs!
If you don’t have a few teachers you can call on, try using someone who’s observed your work ethic. Have you done any volunteer work? This not only counts as experience, but also gives you valuable references. Have you done any odd jobs, such babysitting or lawn care? Use your loyal customers as a reference.
Nicole on Yahoo Answers asked, “Can I use my fiance as a reference?”
Hi Nicole, did you ever have a working relationship with your fiance? If he was a former supervisor of yours, then list him as that, instead of fiance. If not, then I wouldn’t recommend it. You want to use people who have directly viewed the way you work, whether it was in school, volunteering or the job itself.
Be sure you inform your references that you will be using them. It is not only the polite thing to do, it will also give them time to think about how to brag about you.
Do you have a reference in mind who you aren’t sure is appropriate? Comment below and we will let you know.
About Kim Costa
Before I used them as a reference I asked them if it was okay. Most of the people I use as references were people I worked with in the past.
Most places ask you not to use relatives as a reference.
Great point, Shelia. You ALWAYS want to get permission first.
I have nine professional references that go out with every resume that I send out. They all rock, but having references is not helping me to get a job so far.
Hi there! Nine may be a lot and a little overwhelming. References are usually used in the final stages of the application process. Have you thought about narrowing them down to a solid three or five?
Hey, there. I’ve been looking for a job for quite a while, and I’ve always been at a bad enough advantage to not get hired. All of my references moving to other things, however, is what sent any chances of getting hired down the toilet. And that’s not good because I’ve graduated from DeVry almost three years ago and did volunteer work last year, and I’ve pretty much don’t remember anyone there.
Is there any other way for me to get references?
Hi Ida! I’m sorry you’re frustrated. Even if your references have moved on to other things, you can still use them as references. As long as they have an idea about your work ethic and experience, you can use them no matter where they have gone.
No, you can’t. If your references can’t be found easily there go your chances of getting a job. And the longer you are out of school, the less anyone wants to contact school references. I’ve had instances where I used people who knew me “way back when” and got asked for other, “more recent” references by the place I was trying to get hired at. Or used references in another country and got told the same thing when that person couldn’t be reached to verify the letter of recommendation she’d written. What I’m getting is that the reference-demanders are going to DIG. And want the references RECENT and EASILY REACHED. No telephone-tag long distance. And supervisory, not character references as in the kind you used to get into college in the first place. And, get this: I have teaching credentials and was applying to SUBSTITUTE teach. You know, the thing that California USED TO hire just fresh out of college and throw you into the classroom and let you GET your “references” that way. Temp agencies, too. So now there’s no hope for anyone whose life has been spent having a hard time getting references and then finding them years later when we STILL need them to be reachable.
Hi Pamela! That’s a great point – in some instances they may prefer your references be recent. However, if you are in the situation where you cannot access any new references, than your best bet would be to look into the past few years to consider who would say positive things about you. One major point is to make sure that you call them to ask if you can use them as a reference. If you get the idea that they don’t remember you, then you are probably better off keeping your references as recent and fresh as possible. However, there are some people who you make such a great impression with, that they will be more than happy to give you a glowing reference.
Having references that are easily reached is very important. The employer probably doesn’t have the time (and maybe the patience) to chase people down. Your best bet is to try contacting them yourself to make sure they are easily accessible.
I think the point here is that people who are unemployed and this desperate for a job don’t have the resources to do all that long-distance digging up of old supervisors; and going back to college so as to make more “recent” references, again, makes them academic instead of “professional,” so again, my point is apparently missed. Without recent relevant reachable work references, in this economy with hundreds of people applying for each available job, you simply will not even get considered for any job that pays. Even volunteer gigs at public libraries seem hard to come by without having to give work references even for THAT.
This answer implied that you think that we who use college professors as references really have other choices that we’re just holding out on. I actually got told by that school district that they simply wouldn’t hire me without reachable recent references and I threatened to sue them, and I would find some kind of employment discrimination law to use as precedent in such a case.
I’m talking about situations where they dig and dig and harass and harass for more or different references and we really have NONE other than the person who wouldn’t answer their calls (or whichever case I’m talking about). What then? No job, no income, live on the streets forever with college degrees and teaching credentials that you earned on your own MERIT without having to give references any step of the way??
Hello!
I’am a 55yr.old female,newly divorced,living in my mothers home in a different State California, that I’am even used to, I had been living in Colorado for about 20 years. And now I’ am back in my birth State California,and I have a California Drivers License,and I’am in $12,000. credit card debit still. My last job was in Colorado Springs,CO,December 13,2011year, I worked as a warehouse worker at Current Inc. Company. No job after that.
I been looking for jobs on this site for abour 6 months now …So far NO LUCK i dont have expirience and i just want to go out and work already I NEED HELP I NEED MONEY I NEED WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, this article covers the part (or one of the parts) of job hunting that I dread – references. For some reason, I’m really shy about asking people for references. Does anyone have any tips on how to overcome this fear? I don’t have much work experience, so my references would be mostly character references.
Hi Elizabeth! Great question, I actually wrote an article to answer
. Check it out here: http://www.snagajob.com/resources/how-to-ask-for-a-reference/ and let me know if you have any questions!
Hello am from Trinidad. 40 years old female, move to jacksonville for the first time in my life to live, have no high school diploma looking for a job have no luck with that .I fill out about 30 application froms and on line still nothing.i have experience in cook,waitressing,
and customer srevice.i’m a very hard worker and will i need a job any job!
How should I go by trying to find references if I have NO job experience. I’m a junior in high school and the teachers there don’t even try to form relationships with their students. This leaves me no choice but to put down personal references, when the company I’m applying for (Chick-fil-A) doesn’t want me to put any personal references on the application form, and I need at least four people to put down. HELP ME PLEASE!
Hi Shanele! Are you involved in any community activities? Volunteer work? Church? Scouts? Any of these places would make for great references!