How to Prepare Your Job References (+ 3 Free Outreach Templates)

You know it’s coming. Every interview, you pray they’ll forget to ask, but they rarely do. No matter what industry or which position you apply for, your potential employer will almost always ask you to provide job references. Whether the company reaches out to your references or not, you should always make sure they’re prepared for that call. 

So, in this post I’ll share some variations of job reference templates you can use to reach out to your references. You’ll learn what’s important to focus on when reaching out and why it’s important. I’ll also go over what to say and what NOT to say so your job references present you in the best light possible.

Before we jump in though, first let’s define what a job reference is:

What are references for a job?

When a company requests you provide some references for a job application, what they’re asking for are people who know you well and can vouch that you are who you say you are. Some examples of people you can use as a reference are: your previous managers, previous coworkers, close friends, and family.

You should always try to include a previous manager as a job reference when possible. The second most important group to use as your job references are coworkers. Lastly, if you’re a new job seeker without much work experience, you can also use friends and family. 

Once you’ve submitted your job references, you’ll want to follow up with them to prepare them on what to expect so that they can speak about you in a relevant way. 

Here’s what to do:

 

The DO’s of Job Reference Outreach

In a recent post, Sarah Johnston, one of the top career coaches on LinkedIn, brought this often overlooked discussion to the forefront. In her post, she provided a simple yet elegant template for notifying your references of a possible call. She wrote:

Dear X:

Thank you for agreeing to be a reference for me. I am attaching my current resume, LinkedIn profile and a link to an article that highlights some of my prior work. I’ve also included a copy of the job description and a link to the LinkedIn profile of the hiring manager.

During the interview process, they discussed how important it is to find someone who has been a change agent. Please consider emphasizing my work doing X.

I’d really appreciate it if you would let me know if they reach out to you.

Thank you again.

Warmly,
XX

 

Let’s break down why this template is so well written and go over the items you’ll want to address when notifying a reference about a potential employer’s call. These may seem like minor touchpoints, but dismissing them could harm how your reference acts on your behalf when a company gives them a ring. 

1. Be Gracious

As depicted by Sarah’s outreach message, starting with gratitude is important. In fact, positive psychology suggests that thanking somebody and genuinely appreciating what they are doing for you increases the likelihood they will go to bat for you, and also help you again in the future. Acting graciously fosters a sincere interaction which provides meaning for you and your reference. 

What to Do

Mention something you remember about them. Be personable and personal. Job reference templates are great, but personalization is key with outreach like this. 

2. Include Your Body of Work

It’s important your job references not only know you on a personal level so they can speak to your character, but they must also know you on a professional level so they can speak to your skillset. Even if your reference is a supervisor or colleague, this does not mean they will remember every project you were part of or every report you put together.

What to Do

Prepare them by sending over your highest quality work that’s most relevant to the position you’re applying for. Also make sure to send things like: 

• Your resume
• Your LinkedIn profile
• Your cover letter (if you have one)
• Your portfolio (whatever that looks like for your industry)

Including these documents creates a full representation of who you are and what you bring to the workplace. This helps your reference with talking points and areas of strength when talking to the potential employer. 

3. Describe the Opportunity

Your job reference should understand the role for which you’re applying. This is vital. This person must get a sense of the job you’re going for and then craft a story about how you appropriately fit the job description. 

What to Do

So, this means you have to send them:

• A copy of the job description
• The “About” page of the company
• The LinkedIn profile of the hiring manager or employee who will be calling

By sending them these three pieces you’ll be covering all your bases. Your reference won’t get hit with anything they won’t expect and they’ll be able to speak in a more targeted way to the company asking for the reference.

4. Link Your Body of Work with the Opportunity

In Sarah’s post from above, she writes: 

During the interview process, they discussed how important it is to find someone who has been a change agent. Please consider emphasizing my work doing X.

Letting your reference know what to highlight when talking about you is vital for them to strengthen your position as the best candidate for the job. Just like you prepare stories for your interviews, the reference has to craft a story that makes your skills match what the employer is looking for. 

What to Do

Make your job reference aware of what you spoke about in your interview. Tell them how you fit into the employer’s future plans and the reference will be able to focus on the information the employer wants to hear. 

Here’s a video from career coach Jess Smith on what an interview story might look like. If you told some interview stories during your job interview, make sure to let your reference know so they're prepared to speak to them if applicable:

 

5. Stay in the Loop

Once you’ve set your job references up for success, you shouldn’t just leave them to it. Make sure you stay in the loop on what’s going on by staying in touch with them before and after the reference call happens.

What to Do

Ask your reference to let you know if the employer gave them a call. Offer up some of your time to hop on the phone if they have any questions. Be proactive about your communication with your reference so they feel like you’re invested in them and they’ll be invested in you.

Then, after your reference and the hiring manager speak, let your job reference know you will keep them informed. Reach out if you get the job or even if you don’t. This makes the search process feel like a team effort rather than an individual, lonesome journey. Your reference will also continue to feel valued and appreciated, making them more likely to keep assisting you in the future. 

 

The DON’Ts of Job Reference Outreach

There are a few things to tell your reference to stay away from, and also for you to stay away from when preparing your job references. Try to prevent these common slip-ups to maximize your relationship with your reference. 

1. Don’t Let Them Share Your Greatest Weakness

A common question for a reference to receive is, “What is this candidate’s greatest weakness?” While you don’t want your reference to lie, you also don’t want to let your reference share a weakness which will prevent you from getting the role. 

For example, if the role is for a fast-paced startup company, and your greatest weakness is getting overwhelmed when too many things are moving at once, you’ll need to make sure your reference knows how to present this in a way that doesn’t disqualify you as a good fit. 

Here’s a way to tell them to share your weakness in a positive way. 

You can tell them to say that you “take great pride in your work, which sometimes leads to a slower pace, but when in a fast-paced environment, you can adapt as necessary.” According to Indeed, framing weaknesses as opportunities can be hard, but doing so along with actionable steps shows self-awareness, which can set you apart from other candidates.

2. Don’t Be Late

This is a simple one, but you’d be surprised how many people make this mistake. You want to make sure your job reference provider has sufficient time to prepare for the potential call. Don’t email them out of the blue and say, “Hey, you’ll probably be getting a call today from this organization I just interviewed at!” 

Instead, give them enough time to read about your work and the company for which you’re applying. It’ll ease the stress and give your reference enough warning to feel confident when talking you up to others. 

3. Don’t Just Be a Taker

A job reference could be a supervisor, a former colleague, a family friend, or a mentor. No matter who it is, relationships should always be two-sided (here’s a formula for making sure that they are). So offer your help in any way they may need it today or in the future. Make yourself available for them, just as they are for you. They may not ever take you up on your offer, but the fact that you even mentioned it will mean a lot. 

Two More Job Reference Templates

In addition to Sarah’s great reference template (which I highly recommend using), here are a couple more job reference templates that I recommend:

Job Reference Template 1

 

Dear X,

I am so grateful you agreed to be a reference for me as I go about my job search! How are you doing? I saw this piece the other day and it reminded me of you. (Insert link)

Anyway, in preparation for a call from Company Y, where I just interviewed, I wanted to send you my resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, and portfolio of my past relevant projects. 

I have also included the job description and company description. Our conversations centered largely around Y, so it would be great if you could mention something about that. We also talked about Z, which I know is not a strength of mine, so if you could avoid that, I’d really appreciate it. 

Thank you so much again, and I look forward to hearing how the conversation went. Please let me know if I can be helpful to you in any way.

 

Talk soon,

XX

 

Job Reference Template 2

 

Dear X,

I’m excited to let you know that I just finished an interview with Company Y and they will likely be reaching out to you in the next few days. I am so appreciative that you are willing to serve as a reference for me, and I wanted to ensure you have all the information you’d need for when they call. 

I have attached my resume, LinkedIn profile, a detailed description of my past work, the company description, and job description. 

The interviewers emphasized X character trait, so please try to speak to examples of how I demonstrate that if you could. They also said they didn’t like candidates who did Z behavior, so please try not to mention anything about me in relation to Z behavior!

By the way, I saw this awesome video the other day which reminded me of a chat we had a while ago (Attach video). Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you so much again for being willing to provide a reference for me, and I look forward to hearing how the call went. 

 

Thanks again,

XX

 

Next Steps

Preparing your job references is one of those little things that takes very little time to do, but can literally make or break whether you get past that last hurdle in the job application process.

Companies usually ask for references at the end of the interview process once you're a finalist. If, however, you're having trouble getting to the final round of interviews, it may first be wise to work on your interview skills.

My Interviewing for Introverts course is included for FREE with your membership to GHYC. It covers:

👉 The 4 stages of the interview process (and what to say for each)

👉 My secret question to get the recruiter to give you the interview answers you'll need

👉 A practice schedule and timer to help you practice your answers

👉 A video interview setup guide (for those pesky Zoom interviews)

👉 And much, much more!

You can learn more about the course here and you can see membership pricing here.

If you have any questions about any of the things we covered here, feel free to message me on LinkedIn!