How to Write References

I guess it's one of those tasks that we dread being asked to do. We obviously don't want to be the reason why someone didn't get a job. But what do we put?

Writing a reference is so subjective. It depends on the type of job and the style of organisation - are they formal or very relaxed?

If someone you know asks you for a reference, whether they've worked for you or you know them socially, I think the first thing to do is ask what the job entails, what is the style of the company they are hoping to work for and who is the reference going to. Is it to an HR department or is it to a Manager of the organisation.

Getting the reference addressed to the right person is really important.

Next you need to understand how the company works to judge whether you think the person will fit in effectively.

You need to know the jobrole and duties to determine whether you can match their skills with those .the duties

It's really good to focus on positive and transferrable skills such as good communication skills, great organisational skills, able to work independently when required, has honest reliable traits, is punctual and loyal to the company they work for

If you have doubts about any of the skills required - if you cannot safely write good points about the person and their transferrable skills, it might be best to decline writing a reference.

However if you are a previous manager of theirs you really do need to be careful as to how you word the reference. I had one guy that worked for me - he was absolutely terrible at his job and time and time again he put me down on job applications as a referee. I chose to, where possible phone the Manager of the Company and have a quiet chat about job and maybe, if it seemed appropriate I would talk about the difficult situation. I could then be guided by their reactions and write the reference to suit.

On a brighter note - most people are good at their jobs and very good potential employees so focussing on their good points and how they link nicely with the new job is the best way in my opinion to write a reference. if you know of things that they do to help others, or if they have a particular skill that stands out, include that too.

This is my view as a Manager of many years, I always liked to see references but in fact the first few minutes of chatting to someone usually told me if they were suitable for the job. After interviewing a few times you learn to read between the lines and so references in my opinion aren't as important as the face to face interview.