Companies often specify whether they want professional or personal references on applications. If they don't indicate which one they prefer, you should provide professional preferences wherever possible. Here is the difference between professional and personal references:.
A professional reference is someone who has worked closely with you for at least six months within the past seven years. They are usually a coworker or immediate supervisor, but can also be a department head, higher-level manager or client if they interacted with you regularly. You should choose professional references who can speak directly about your daily work habits, performance, work ethic and professional goals so that the employer can get a clear idea of who you are in the workplace and how you contributed to the work environment.
A personal reference is someone who you have not worked with but can describe your values, integrity, character and goals. You can select personal references from many parts of your life, including volunteering, school, personal associations and longtime friendships.
You should avoid listing family members or your spouse as personal references, as they might be perceived as biased. You want to choose personal references who have known you at least one year, think positively of you, are able to communicate well and are available on short notice.
Follow these steps to properly ask someone for references:. Find jobs. Company reviews. Find salaries. Upload your resume. Sign in. What are references? Ways to list your references. If there is no way to list references on the application itself, you can provide a reference list during your interview. You may also include a brief statement on your resume or cover letter that you can provide "references upon request," which can ensure you use the one or two pages of your resume for your employment history, education and accomplishments.
Sometimes, an employer will request a reference letter or send an email containing a link to a reference form. If the company prefers a reference letter, it is customary for your reference to send it directly to the company. By definition, a personal reference is someone who knows you well and can give you a recommendation based on your abilities and individual characteristics. But who could be a great personal reference? Who should you ask?
Well, typically, a candidate has a variety of people to choose from when it comes to selecting personal references example: your teacher, professor, mentor, friend, distant relative, teammate or coach, neighbor, etc. Also, there are no set rules regarding your family members being your personal references, but you should avoid this. While your mom might be the person who knows you the longest, her opinion will be considered biased and not professional.
Instead, you should show your potential employer that your mates or former colleagues respect you and that you can easily establish and develop relationships with new people. So it's better to stick to someone who has no family connection to you, whether it's a pastor in a local church or your fifth-grade teacher. Lanteria also advises not to choose someone who doesn't know you very well, with whom you've only had limited contact.
The hiring manager wants to hear sincere and specific answers about your personality, which a distant friend can't provide. The employer asks for a personal reference to have a complete picture of your character, and if your reference's answers are too short and vague, this goal won't be achieved. The fundamental difference between personal and professional references is that the latter is meant to describe your work skills and career accomplishments.
In contrast, personal references — also known as character references — give the employer information that they cannot get from your former colleagues. In many cases, former employers are not legally allowed to say anything negative about you during employment verification check anyway, so a personal recommendation is often what companies need.
However, if the hiring manager has not specified which one they prefer, you should provide them with a professional reference. Here's the difference between personal and professional references:. A personal reference is a person you never worked with directly, although they know you well from another point of view. They can give an insight into what you value, your interests, goals, and perspectives. As mentioned before, character references may come from any area of your life: be it school, friends, neighbors, etc.
Just think of someone who you've known long enough — at least for a year — who speaks highly of you and is rather well-spoken. Plus, they should be available on short notice because you don't want to make your potential employer wait. A professional reference is a person who has worked with you for more than six months in the last seven years.
Usually, a professional reference turns out to be a colleague or a manager, or even a client if you still keep in touch. You are supposed to select someone who can speak on your work ethics, productivity, and career goals, so that the employer can fully understand your role in the workplace and how you contributed to the work environment. Having personal references might be especially helpful for recent graduates who lack work experience and professional recommendations.
Instead, they may ask their professors to serve as their referees, who could convince the hiring manager that the candidate is highly qualified for this job. Additionally, if you can't provide a professional reference, you may think of your former casual employers, for example, a family you used to babysit for.
It won't count as a professional recommendation, but it would undoubtedly be a great addition to your resume. If you are quite experienced but looking for a new career, providing a personal reference may also be a fantastic idea. Just think of someone who knows what you're capable of and what skill sets you possess. Basics Glossary. Table of Contents Expand.
Table of Contents. What Is a Personal Reference? Personal vs. Professional References. Do I Need a Personal Reference? How to Get a Personal Reference. By Alison Doyle. Alison founded CareerToolBelt. Learn about our editorial policies. Updated on June 09, Family members and significant others are not appropriate personal references. Key Takeaways A personal reference is a reference provided by an individual who knows you and can vouch for your character and abilities. Most employers require professional references, but personal references may be acceptable if you don't have enough professional references or if the employer specifically requests one.
Ask people who know you well, but who aren't family, to serve as personal references. Ask permission and prepare potential personal references. Article Sources.
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