What to Do About References if You Are New to the Workforce

If you're new to the workforce and looking for your first "real" job, the issue of obtaining professional references is probably rumbling around in the back of your mind as you fill out applications and submit resumes. Sure, you can put "References available on request" at the bottom of your resume, but what do you do if a hiring manager actually requests them? Here are some ideas on how to handle that potentially tricky situation.

Leverage Your Internships

If you're a recent college graduate, you probably completed an internship or two while in school. Now's the time to be compensated for all the free work you provided the company. Don't be shy about contacting the person who supervised you to request a reference letter. Companies that provide internships expect to write letters of recommendation and stand as professional references, so your former supervisor may be wondering why you haven't called yet. Send an email stating precisely what you're looking for, and ask for a time to follow up by phone. Your former supervisor may even be willing to write a reference for an executive higher up the chain of command to sign.

Consider Other Options

If you're a very recent college graduate, you can use professors or coaches as professional references. Choose a professor with whom you had more than a student-teacher relationship, perhaps one you assisted in the lab or classroom. If you volunteered during your college career, contact any former supervisor you think might provide a good reference.

Ask Permission First

Before you give anyone's name as a reference, ask that person whether she's willing to serve as your professional reference. If you sense hesitation, thank the person you've asked, but keep looking. Under no circumstances should you use someone's name without permission. If a hiring manager calls one of your professional references and the person is surprised to receive the call, you potential employer may be faced with an awkward situation.

Make Your List Look Professional

Place your list of professional references on a page that's separate from your resume. Include your reference's contact information, and provide some details regarding your relationship with each reference, indicating whether they were supervisors, professors or coaches. Add a couple of sentences about the work you did together; this gives the hiring manager a starting topic when he calls the reference and directs the conversation in the path you want.

After you've pulled together your list of professional references, have someone verify that the people providing you with a reference are serving you well by calling to see what they say about you. If a reference provides anything but a glowing recommendation, remove that person from your list, and keep looking. Even if you're new to the workforce, finding someone you can count on to sing your praises can open many doors.

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