Job Hunting: A Work in Progress

Community Manager — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:41:00 GMT

Labor Day is in the review mirror; a day off from work for many, for others a reminder there's not work to be had. We've all seen the headlines: the jobs picture in the U.S. remains far from robust. Unemployment hovers around ten percent and the uncertain economy is keeping consumer confidence low and workplace anxiety high.

While the job hunting climate may not be ideal, for the unemployed, underemployed or for those wanting a better or different job, the search cannot wait. So the Beyond Folders bloggers are pooling our experience as both hiring managers and former job hunters (and of course ongoing networkers!) to provide posts with job hunting tips and techniques.

References? Check!

The demise of the one-company-career and the rise of social media mean today's world, and today's job hunt, bear little resemblance to job searches of the past. When I entered the work world, hand-written thank you notes were de rigueur after an interview; now an email thank-you is considered acceptable.

Still, some things remain eternal: the importance of stellar references. A recent post-Labor Day article Singing your Praises: How to Manage Work References makes the point that not only are rock solid references key to winning a job, lukewarm or poor references can sabotage your chances.

References matter so be sure to line up good ones early in your job hunt. Ideally your references will have the following qualities:

First-hand knowledge of your work and strengths
Ability to speak enthusiastically about you
Credibility in the industry or job to which you are applying

For more tips on making the most of your references, read The Keys to Choosing and Using the Best Job References and Do References Really Matter? And be sure to check back for more posts on job hunting over the coming weeks.

What do you look for in a reference? Do you have any tips for making the most of your references? Share your thoughts here and on the Beyond Folders Community's Facebook and Twitter pages.

by Bradley Eggers

Beyond Folders : job search, references

Job Hunting: A Work in Progress