The References Summary

Most reference lists are just that- lists. They contain the name of the reference, the phone number, and the email address. Good enough, right?

But considering that many employers will not even provide positive information about an employee when contacted as a reference, perhaps there needs to be a reference document, or Summary, that contains a description of the relationship between you and the reference, as well as what he/she can verify about your job performance. 

Of course, you will have to know your references well enough to determine what they would say about you, but isn't that the point of the references you provide to employers- to know what they will say about you?

The following is a sample References Summary, a document that can potentially shed much more of a positive light on you than the standard list:

REFERENCES SUMMARY

Larry R. Doe, VP of Marketing

Company Name:

Phone:

Email: 

A former supervisor at COMPANY NAME and a 29-year industry veteran, Larry can verify my strategic abilities in the development of new business ventures and business models. He can speak to my achievements in negotiating favorable content acquisition deals and producing videos.

Tom P. Doe, Senior Director

Company Name:

Phone:

Email: 

As a former employee at COMPANY NAME, Tom can confirm my strong skill sets and achievements in the industry, and he can also elaborate on my creation of the NAME OF LABEL record label and archive recordings.

Steve N. Doe, Director

Company Name:

Phone:

Email: 

Steve can speak to my comprehensive knowledge of the video production and entertainment industry based on our extensive collaboration as peers to produce concert videos. He can also confirm our achievements in negotiating and securing financing for the NAME OF series broadcast on NBC.

Elissa A. Doe, Department Manager

Company Name:

Phone:

Email: 

Elissa and I worked together to strategize and secure sponsorship deals and the content partnership between COMPANY NAME and COMPANY NAME. She can verify my exceptional business development skills and management abilities in directing COMPANY NAME’s concert tour sponsorships.