Job seekers are keenly aware of how much work it is to compile an application packet. Crafting a cover letter and relevant résumé takes work. Hiring managers also face a significant task to sift through the information provided. Our own Cheryl Hyatt was recently featured in Training Magazine discussing one of the most informative parts of a candidate’s application packet: references. She writes,
“As an interviewer, I consider the most telling part of any job application to be the references. Candidates will carefully curate their cover letter, résumé, and interview performance. They can present themselves in any way they wish, at times embellishing or outright deceiving a potential employer in an attempt to get a job. References ground their claims in reality. You can understand who the applicant is by listening carefully to what references say—and often, just as importantly, what they don’t say. When I call references, I get a sense of the individual’s impact on their colleagues and workplace.”
Read her insights on how to glean the most from references here.
