Instant Interviews: 101 Ways to Get the Best Job of Your Life

Chapter 63. Banking Personal References Instantly

Think of this and the following Do as being two huge do-posit slips!

Because references properly selected are like money in the bank.

Let's write the slip.

Selecting the Right Personal References

With all the legal and business restrictions now limiting what a business can say about a former employee, personal references are far more important than before.

The interviewer receives an enthusiastic response that can't be equaled by professional references.

Each of your personal references should:

Formally consent to give a reference about you, have a different surname (even if related), and work in an office where she can receive calls during regular business hours without distraction. Someone who can discuss you knowledgeably, intelligently, and enthusiastically.

Begin by listing 30 options as possible. Then cut the list down to the top five.

Where do you get a list of 30? Personal friends. Casual acquaintances. Then, add business advisers such as your attorney, accountant, or banker. Maybe you've recently purchased a house—your real estate agent is a natural.

How about community leaders, members of your service club, or buddies at the gym? Are there teachers at your kids' school with whom you have a special rapport? Jot them down.

What characteristics do you need in each of your top five?

• A successful business or professional life

• A self-confident, outgoing personality

• Good verbal skills

Although personal references can be located anywhere, it ...