During my annual spring cleaning, I stumbled upon a letter I wrote to Santa years ago. It was a doozy. Unlike most kids, I didn’t jump right to the point with the gift requests. Instead, I led off with three paragraphs detailing all the do-good-ery I had performed over the past year. Essentially, I wrote my own puff piece.
I laugh now, but as a recruiter, I couldn’t help but note the resemblance of my letter to the referral letters I read daily.
Referral letters are key for job seekers and recruiters alike. A strong referral can open doors and create important connections, but those in hiring positions must be savvy when absorbing these recommendations and deciphering what’s genuine.
The next time get a referral letter, use these tips to discern the inflated from the irrefutable.
Identify the messenger
Before you get through the first paragraph or begin taking mental notes, identify who the writer is and their relationship to the candidate. Was it a mentor? A former colleague? Manager?
Different points of view merit different scrutiny. For example, think about the subject of performance when coming from a mentor versus a former manager—while the subject remains the same, the angles of their two different lens may tell very different stories.
Explicit or equivocal
As you examine the praise, look for signs that it is concrete, rather than faint. I’ve always found letters that include “I highly recommend” or similar variation to be authentic, showing that the author is willing to stake their good name on the merits of a particular candidate.
Additionally, a genuine referral will cite solid examples of a candidate’s noteworthy skills in action.
Look for the devil
No, I don’t mean go all “Exorcist” with this; rather, recall the adage, “the devil’s in the details.” A referrer whose letter is void of details and only cites abstract praise for the candidate or vague mentions of work history has either been poorly prepped by the candidate or possibly put in an uncomfortable situation where they wanted to say no to the request, but didn’t.
A great reference knows and understands the person they are referring. That will be evident in the letter they write.
Holla back
A great sign that the referral is both excited about the candidate and authentic with their praise is their willingness to be contacted by the hiring party. Writing a letter of reference is one thing, a hefty commitment.
Going the extra mile by agreeing to a follow-up conversation or contact usually means they’re “all in” concerning their referral.
A final word about referrals
Finding great employees is a challenging task for hiring managers. Final candidates are typically closely matched in terms of what they can offer and how they’ll fit within an organization’s culture.
In these cases, insight we glean from referrals is priceless. Rather than simply relying on your gut, keep in my mind the tips above the next time you’re sorting through references.
Read more of Michelle’s writing on the ResumeEdge Blog, here.
