University of Kent > Careers > Applications & Interviews

CHOOSING AND USING REFEREES

WHO TO CHOOSE?  Typically your first referee will be academic. This would be your course or personal tutor or some other member of staff who knows you well, such as a project supervisor. As well as being able to comment on your academic results and likely degree class, it would be helpful if they knew you well enough to be able to comment on your personal attributes as well. If your tutor isn't available and you   can't think of anyone else to use, talk to the departmental office who should be able to suggest someone. All academic staff should have access to your marks. Your second referee would typically be an employer for whom you had worked in the vacation. Alternatively it might be a family friend who has known you for a number of years. Ideally they should be working in some professional position - banker, teacher, doctor etc. Otherwise it might be a teacher with whom you were still in regular contact, or someone who supervised you in some way - church youth group leader, director of a youth orchestra you played for, sports coach for a team you've played for, supervisor of voluntary work etc. If you are asked for a third referee, it could be anyone from the above groups - a second employer or academic - preferably someone who will give a different perspective - a project supervisor, or someone who teaches on a different course. The key point is that the referee should know you well enough to be able to write positively about you. They should also know you relatively recently - a teacher that you haven't seen for five years won't be able to say much about your present development. They should of course be someone who sees you in a favourable light.

Choose your referees carefully ...

WHAT TO DO NEXT

Once you have chosen your referees there are certain steps you should take. Make sure that you ask their permission to act as your referee. As well as being polite it makes sure that they're prepared to receive requests for references. It's a good idea to supply your referees with a copy of your CV and other information such as:

• the type of work you are going for and why it attracts you

  REFERENCES This student impressed by her determination to do as little work as possible ..... Of all the people I have met, he was certainly one of them ...... ASKING FOR A REFERENCE Will you please be a referee for a job for which I am appalling?

• what qualities you have that would make you capable of doing the job well - this might include your motivation, personal skills and qualities such as being able to work in a team, persuasiveness etc. You can use the section on SKILLS to help you with this.
• what extra-curricular activities you have been involved in at UKC and what you have achieved during you time at university.
• if you haven't seen them for some time, it would be wise to let them know what you have been doing since then.
• any other information that you feel is relevant

The purpose of this is to help your referees to write a more detailed and accurate reference for you. Make sure you take a copy of your answers as it will help you to fill in application forms!

WHEN ARE REFERENCES TAKEN UP?

Sometimes it might be after receiving your application, but usually it is after the first interview, or at least after shortlisting candidates for interview. Sometimes it can be after selecting you for the post!

When you get a job or place on a course, make sure that you write to your referees to thank them for their help and to let them know what you are doing. Surprisingly few students seem to bother with this common courtesy. Writing references can be a difficult, long and involved process and you should at least thank them with a letter - who knows you may need to use them again!

You only need to supply references when the organisation you are applying for asks you for them. They could be supplied on a separate page if the job advert required these to be given. Normally applicants put the statement "I am happy to supply references on request" or a similar statement, but it's pretty obvious you will supply references when the time comes, so perhaps even this is redundant.

WHAT DO REFERENCES CONTAIN?

A reference may take one of several formats:

It might be a prepared form asking various questions along the following lines:

Another type of form

Or it might be an academic reference:

Alternatively, it might be a general letter e.g.

Overseas students might more commonly be given an open testimonial. This is a type of reference which is given to the student by the referee and can be shown to whoever necessary. Because it can be read by the student, testimonials rarely contain negative information and so are generally considered to be of less value by employers. They reason that any referee who has written something that you will see is going to be less frank than one passing their reference directly to the employer.

Telephone references are becoming increasing common, and are preferred by some employers as they feel that they can get more detailed information than in a written reference.

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