Do You Need Business & Personal References for a Job Interview?
Recruiters typically wait until you are in the final running before they ask you to provide references. In fact, that's one of the signs the company is interested in possibly offering you a job. Once the company asks for the names of people who can vouch for your qualifications, expertise and professional characteristics, you can almost count the days until you get a job offer. However, there may be times when you want to present your business and professional references sooner than later in the selection process.
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Online Application Process
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Depending on the type of applicant tracking system an employer uses, some online application processes request the names of references before you even get a call for a preliminary telephone interview. In addition, online applications may ask you to check a box that indicates whether your current or former supervisor can be contacted. There are reasons employers ask for this type of information so early in the recruitment phase. They generally want to know if you are able to provide the names of previous supervisors. If you don't have a problem with prospective employers contacting your former boss, it usually means you left on good terms. Nevertheless, any prospective employer should always notify you before calling your references or your past employers.
Influential References
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One reason you might want to provide a prospective employer with your business and professional references during the interview is to impress the recruiter. Handing over a list of references that contains names the recruiter might recognize could earn you extra points in the selection process. Assuming you have influential names of people whom you've listed as having knowledge of your work history and your expertise, they could secure you a spot on the short list of candidates. This is particularly true in positions where political influence is a factor in selecting the right candidate. For instance, if you're applying for a job with city government and you happen to know the mayor well enough to list her as one of your professional references, it's likely the recruiter will take notice.
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Initiative
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Giving the recruiter or hiring manager your business and professional references during the interview may not be a requirement; however, it can demonstrate your confidence. Providing a list of references upon the conclusion of what you believe is a good interview shows that you feel good about how the interview went. It also signifies that you came prepared to learn that you're moving forward to the next stage in the selection process. So as not to rush the interview or distract the interviewer, in this case, it's wise to wait until the end of the interview to provide your list of references. If you provide your references before the interview starts, there's a possibility you might learn you don't want the job and now you've already handed over a list of names the prospective employer can contact.
Reference Check Process
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Unless the recruiter or hiring manager specifically requests that you bring a list of references with you to the interview, it's really not necessary. On the other hand, if you bring the list with you to the interview and the hiring manager asks you to provide her with names of references, you already have the list available. Most recruiters don't ask for your references until they're ready to spend the timing contacting your references. It's an exercise in futility to conduct reference checks on candidates too soon before the company decides if they meet the requisite qualifications for the job.
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