When applying for jobs, you’ll find job references continue to be a common request by potential employers. Plenty of companies consider them essential to the hiring process. That means modern job seekers should value them, too.

What a job reference is hasn’t changed much over the years, but how they’re presented and used has, particularly in the last decade or so. For instance, people now have hundreds of LinkedIn connections, dozens of whom may have written online references. With the assumption that potential employers will request your work references, here’s what you need to know about how the job references you present to future employers can have a big impact on your job search.

What is a Job Reference and How Important Is It?

Job references are essentially a testimonial of your work product and work performance from a previous supervisor or company. Many job candidates in today’s age are surprised to find just how much weight job references still hold. For example, they can be particularly influential when a hiring manager’s deciding between you and another possible candidate.

What does a manager discover from your job references? They learn more about:

• The “real” you; gaining insight into your personality and whether your work habits match what you present on your resume.
• How you interact with colleagues and whether you’re a team player.
• Projects you assisted with and your ability to meet deadlines.

The Role an IT Recruiter Plays Regarding Job References

Positive endorsements can help you land your dream job. Unsurprisingly, negative references will have the opposite effect. An IT recruiter will work with you to ensure you stand out not only on paper, but in the interview too.

A recruiter acts as a neutral third party who contacts your former employers and requests references before they make their way to the companies you’re applying to (with your permission of course!). This accomplishes two things for your recruiter. They get to:

• Thoroughly vet you so they can properly present you to potential employers.
• Supply hiring managers with references that best align with what they’re looking for in a candidate.

How Important Are Job References in IT and Technology?

How much a hiring manager relies on job references differs from company to company. Most now leave obtaining and screening them up to recruiters and agencies. That can be a great benefit to job candidates, as it allows recruiters to present them to future employers with the inside information and scoop they get from the company’s hiring manager.

When you work with an IT recruiter, they can help you identify which former employers or contacts to ask for references as well as how to ask them to be a reference. They know that when you choose your references wisely, you maximize your chances of landing a job you really want.

Work with a Las Vegas IT Recruiter

Choosing your job references wisely can have a big impact on whether you get the job or not. Working with an IT recruiter can help you further increase your chances of landing the job you want through professional experience and guidance in the IT and technology industry. To learn more about how job references can impact your job search, contact Taurean Consulting Group at 702-529-0378 today.