In the interview process, there’s nothing worse than a hiring manager calling a reference that

doesn’t remember you or doesn’t know if you’re qualified for a given position.

Often at the final stage of the hiring process, hiring managers reach out to confirm or deny a
reference’s impressions of you and claims you have made. What your references say (and
how they say it) can determine whether or not you receive a job offer.

To equip your references with the information they need to help you succeed,
consider the following best practices:

Send them your resume.

Your references need to know what you’re emphasizing in your job search. To help them
discuss relevant information, provide them with your resume and some key talking points.

Inform them of the opportunity.

Most often, hiring managers only contact references when an opportunity is getting serious.
This makes it easy to keep your references informed. They only need to know about the
positions and organizations for which you are being seriously considered.

Keep them up to date.

Always provide references with the latest information about your job status, especially when
it comes to opportunities with which they’re familiar. Whether or not you get the job, you
should thank them and let them know how the process ended. Keep in mind that you may
need to call upon your references again as your job search progresses.