When is it the best time to provide references?

laptop

I have an interview tomorrow. Asked me to bring references to the interview. I didn't even have a face to face interview yet. I only had a phone interview and that was it.

When is it the appropriate time to notify my references?

a) Contact my references right now and let him know to expect a call from someone (might be a false alarm if they don't call my references or if im not in the final round). I have contacted my references a few time in advance but not get the job offer. This kind of made a negative impression to the people representing me.

b) Contact my references right after the interview (But I am afraid that the employer will call my references the moment i walk out the door. Or I might not be able to reach my references)

c) Do the interview. Give them the references at the interview. Kindly ask the potential employer to give me a day so i can give my references a heads up.

Thanks

Michael.J.Palmer

laptop wrote: »

I have an interview tomorrow. Asked me to bring references to the interview. I didn't even have a face to face interview yet. I only had a phone interview and that was it.

When is it the appropriate time to notify my references?

a) Contact my references right now and let him know to expect a call from someone (might be a false alarm if they don't call my references or if im not in the final round). I have contacted my references a few time in advance but not get the job offer. This kind of made a negative impression to the people representing me.

b) Contact my references right after the interview (But I am afraid that the employer will call my references the moment i walk out the door. Or I might not be able to reach my references)

c) Do the interview. Give them the references at the interview. Kindly ask the potential employer to give me a day so i can give my references a heads up.

Thanks

Hmm... where to start here. Being someone who's done interviews (in another field, but all interviewers tend to stick pretty in trenched on their ways) I'd have to go with A on this one.

First off, I can't believe that you have references that would be off put by you calling them to verify that they'd be good references. If you do, then you might want to etch them off your list of references since either they aren't exactly friendly with you in the first place, or they may be more apt to give you a bad reference in general.

Secondly with B just a side note. Unless you really WOW the interviewer and they want to hire you that day, you're not going to have your references called the second you walk out the door. Most interviewers are seeing several people in a day so they just won't have time to do all the reference checking right after the interviews. Likely scenario is they'll check references either later that day (if you have an early interview) or the very next day if they feel that you're a perfect fit for the job. So if you want to do B, then just keep that in mind.

Whatever you do though, don't choose the route of not notifying your references at all. I've seen people get bad references just because the person they listed didn't even know they were going to get a call about a reference. So you'll want to notify them regardless, and doing so before the interview is the best way to do it, that way if you are afraid that the hiring manager will call later that day or right after you leave, at least they have more of a heads up of when to expect the phone call.

laptop

Thanks for the advice.

I finished the job interview and I decided NOT to notify my references in advance. I took the risk and the person interviewing me did NOT ask for a list of references during the first interview. He was still interviewing a lot of people (10-30+). Glad I made the right choice. Otherwise it would cause false alarm.

networker050184

laptop wrote: »

Thanks for the advice.

I finished the job interview and I decided NOT to notify my references in advance. I took the risk and the person interviewing me did NOT ask for a list of references during the first interview. He was still interviewing a lot of people (10-30+). Glad I made the right choice. Otherwise it would cause false alarm.

Whats wrong with a "false alarm"? I just asked the people that are my references to be prepared to talk me up anytime they get a call

xenodamus

I don't call my references before each interview I go on. When I started job hunting I sent an email to the 3 people I was going to list and asked if they would mind being listed as references. I didn't feel a need to contact them again until I settled in a position. I feel like when I ask them to be a reference it's for any situation in the near future.

Tyrant1919

The references I've used are all people that would recognize the name Daryle instantly. And for good reasons I hope . I stay in contact with the people that I would list. So when I use them I don't even tell them.

Zartanasaurus

I always ask for permission to use someone as a reference ahead of time as a courtesy.

laptop

I do ask for permisison and they said yes.

I have had numerous companies request for a list of references BEFORE an interview or asking to bring it to the FIRST interview. Contacting my references to inform them everytime BEFORE a job offer is up is just annoying to them. Understand what I mean?

It's like I don't even know if I'll do well or screw up for an interview. So, if I notify them in advance and the interview goes bad...then notifying them is just false alarm and looks bad on me.

earweed

I usually wait to contact them after an interview if I give the interviewer my refs. The people I list already know me and those that choose not to be contacted for whatever reason are not on my list. I've been working privately for a while now and have multiple clients. Due to some of my references not wanting or not being able to be contacted it has caused me to not list some experience I've had on my resume (set up a couple small office networks, both out of vusiness) which is messed up.

watson09

If your references are quite well known people then you can tell them anytime. Even just before going for interview you can intimate them..

If they are not well known then you should intimate them in advance. A day before and an hour before going for an interview is best...