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OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES REFERENCES AND LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION References are people who can be contacted by potential employers to verify your work history and to inquire about the quality of your work on jobs or in classes. References are almost always checked before you are offered a job, except in the most informal of hiring situations. Usually potential employers want to talk to your references by phone; other times, they may ask to read letters of recommendation. Here's what you need to know on the subject of references: Selecting references: References can be former or current employers, internship supervisors, or professors. They should be people who know you and your work well enough to comment on it and should be people who will speak highly of you. When getting a reference from a job or internship, choose someone who was in a position of authority over you and who viewed your work firsthand. Don't, for example, use the company president as your reference unless that person worked closely with you. Also, do not use co-workers in positions equal to yours as their objectivity may be subject to question and their opinion not as highly valued. You should not use relatives as references, but in some cases it might be appropriate to use an old family friend as a reference. If the family friend works in the field in which you are applying for jobs and knows your personal qualities well enough, they can be a valuable reference. Prepare a reference list: Type a list of at least three current and/or former employers or professors who have agreed to be contacted as references. Put your name, address and phone number at the top of the page as you would on your resume, then type the heading "References." List your references’ names with corresponding job titles, company/ organization names, addresses, phone numbers, the dates you worked with them, and your professional relationship to them. Keep copies of this list on hand to give to prospective employers when they request references. Some job announcements ask you to send references with your resume. In most cases, however, you will not be asked for references until after you have interviewed and are being considered for the job. It is imperative to contact all the people on your list to let them know someone may be calling and to remind them of the work you did for them. You can also send them your resume to further refresh their memory, a copy of the job description to help them tailor their comments, your cover letter, and any specific details describing how you are qualified for the job. They may also be a good source of additional job leads. Deciding how many references to have on hand: Typically, three to five references are required when you are being considered for a job. In informal situations, fewer references may be requested, and in more formal situations, prospective employers may ask to speak to (or receive a letter from) all past employers. If certain past employers cannot be found, that is fine, simply omit them from your list, or indicate why they cannot be reached (e.g. "company closed"). Updated 6/17 Getting letters of recommendation: Ideally, you should request a letter as soon as a job, internship, or class ends, but you can also contact former employers or professors whom you may not have talked to in a while. When asking for recommendation letters, it is a good idea to give some guidelines for the letter, either in writing or when talking OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES to the references. Remind them of your job duties and point out any successes or accomplishments you had on the job or in class so that they will highlight all the important points in their letter, especially the skills relevant to the job for which you are applying. Sometimes you may be asked to write a draft of the letter for them. Although this may INTERVIEW TYPES seem very awkward, it happens more often than you think. This is a great opportunity to take an objective look at your performance and write a solid letter of recommendation. Remember, you should be honest, but it's no time to Screening Interview: The screening interview does just that—screen out candidates whose qualifications be modest! don’t meet the job specifications. The first interview is typically conducted by a human resources professional and will probably focus more on your resume and qualifications than anything else. As a courtesy, it is always good to let your references know the outcome of any interviews for which they were Screening interviews may be conducted in person, by telephone, or by video conferencing (see Telephone contacted. Be sure to thank them for their help even if you don’t get the job. Interview and Video or Skype Interview sections). Articulate your skills and what you accomplished at each previous job experience. Second Interview: Second round interviews are often more difficult to prepare for because their purpose is more subtle—to determine which candidates will best "fit" with the company. Second interviews may be comprised of behavioral and competency-based questions (see Behavioral Interview and Competency- based Interview sections). Ask questions about the work environment. This stage may also include reference checks and testing. Case Study Interview: Consulting firms and certain financial institutions may include a case study or word problem based on a real-life or simulated consulting situation as part of their interview process. In this instance, the interviewer will present you with a case study and ask how you would approach and solve the dilemma at hand. The interviewer is simply trying to determine your analytical abilities through this interview method, so try not to get flustered! You can usually ask relevant questions in your efforts. There are a number of online and hardcopy resources available through the Office of Career Services to help you prepare for these types of interviews. It is also imperative to be part of a student study group and practice together since these interviews are very demanding. Behavioral Interview: In these interviews, the interviewer will ask you to talk about a real situation you’ve encountered and your response to that situation. A sample question could include, “Tell me of an incident when you failed,” instead of a hypothetical question such as “How you would handle a mistake or failure?” The employer assumes this will be a good indicator of how you would handle situations in the future. Stay calm and answer the question as completely as you can, using the SAR formula as your guide: o S – What was the situation or problem that you were presented with? o A – What action did you take? (Specifically highlight the skills used.) o R – What were the results of your actions? (Be specific and quantify results when Office of Career Services | 420 West 118 Street, Room 420, New York, NY 10027 possible.) 212-854-4613 | Fax 212-854-6190 | sipa_ocs@columbia.edu | sipa.columbia.edu/ocs
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