what to do if you have no professional references

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Many potential employers request that you provide them with one or more references who can speak to your professional person skills and abilities. However, depending on your past work experience (or lack thereof), obtaining such references can be difficult. The lack of references might not e'er hinder you from your task search, or from applying to some of the jobs that interest you. Instead, you could try to get the chore you want without the professional person references some employers may ask for.

1. 1

   Provide previous work y'all've produced as a reference source. Instead of providing a person who can talk well-nigh your skills and abilities, provide a copy of your bodily work which volition show your skills and abilities. For job seekers but entering the job market place, consider using school piece of work to demonstrate your abilities.^[1]

   • Reports, presentations, papers, essays, journal articles, analyses, etc. tin can all demonstrate your skills and abilities.
   • Be sure to redact whatsoever confidential or proprietary data in the documents.

2. ii

   Show a potential employee your previous evaluations. Most jobs include an evaluation at some point. And most evaluations are shared with you, so y'all tin can keep a re-create. Share these evaluations to a potential employer if you aren't able to provide a professional person reference. This is specially helpful if your former employer isn't allowed to provide y'all with a professional reference.^[two]

   • Be certain to redact any confidential or proprietary information in the documents.
   • In addition to evaluations, you lot can as well endeavour: letters of recognition, thank you messages from clients, testimonials from clients or boyfriend employees, and awards you've won.

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3. 3

   Use personal professional references instead of a corporate reference. Corporate references are those written by an employee on behalf of an employer. The reference is then officially from the employer. Instead of asking for a corporate reference (on company letterhead), enquire for a personal professional reference from a erstwhile supervisor or co-worker.^[3]

   • Corporate references are becoming harder to obtain, even if you left your former employer for legitimate reasons. Many employers are concerned about lawsuits from providing either positive or negative references for former employees.
   • Personal professional references are references directly from another person, and non connected to the employer. All the same, the person can exist someone you previously worked for or with, as long as they're providing the reference from themselves and non from their employer.
   • Personal professional references demand to ensure that they are speaking from their own personal feel working with you, and are not speaking as a representative of their employer.

4. 4

   Provide reference letters instead of contact data. References do non e'er have to be exact (e.1000. phone call or electronic mail), they can also be in writing. Written references tin can include either an employment confirmation or information most your skills and abilities, or both.^[4]

   • If you are being terminated from an employer for valid reasons (eastward.g. layoffs, cut backs, etc.) you should ask for a written reference letter as role of your severance agreement. This is especially helpful if the company is being reorganized or sold and contacting them will be difficult in the future.

5. 5

   Know what types of references are being requested. Potential employers volition sometimes ask for references, not to ask questions about your skills and abilities, simply to confirm yous were actually employed at the companies listed on your resume.^[5]

   • References of this type tin can come from a old supervisor (especially if the organization is small) or from the Human Resource (60 minutes) department. Since your potential employer is not asking personal questions well-nigh yous, the person confirming your employment doesn't have to know you lot. They simply need to be able to ostend you used to piece of work there for a specific catamenia of time.

6. 6

   Negotiate your references with a potential employer. Potential employers are most likely as well frustrated with the lack of professional person references they're able to get from potential employees. You will not exist the only applicant who is unable to provide a reference. When a potential employer asks for your references, negotiate what blazon and the number of references you provide. If you lot do not have whatsoever professional references, offer to provide twice equally many personal references if you can.^[6]

   • A personal reference can be from someone who knows you, just has never worked with you in a professional person environment. For example, they could be a friend, a classmate, a teammate, a coach, a teacher, etc.

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1. 1

   Search for previous supervisors and co-workers. While it may accept been several years or more since you final worked with them, it is worth the effort to search for those former managers and co-workers. If yous can find them, inquire them to be a reference.^[seven]

   • Also consider onetime clients you may have had, if y'all worked in a job in which you lot served clients.
   • Your offset idea may be that you don't want to bother former managers or co-workers, but think that it'due south for a very good reason. If they practise not empathise the importance of references (non uncommon) or cannot be bothered (very mutual) or take no guidance to assistance regarding references - persist. Perchance a heartfelt call or visit may help to override this.
   • If you're able to find a erstwhile supervisor or co-worker, and they're really busy, you could write the reference letter yourself and merely ask them to edit and sign information technology.

2. 2

   Enquire supervisors and coworkers for references before you leave. If you leave a task for any reason that's valid (due east.g. moving, going back to schoolhouse, institute a ameliorate chore, staying home with the kids, or even because the job isn't working out for you), take the fourth dimension to ask a manager or co-worker (or both) for a reference before you exit. Fifty-fifty if you aren't planning to await for a new task anytime soon, knowing you tin can call on them for a reference in the time to come is very helpful.^[8]

   • If y'all know in that location's going to be a big gap betwixt leaving your current task and looking for a new chore (because yous're going back to school for a few years, or you're going to stay home with your kids, etc.), ask for a reference letter. However, continue in heed that written references are not normally considered sufficient.

3. 3

   Evaluate and expand your current network. Professional person networks are an invaluable resource for job seekers. Not only can a network help notice you lot a job, they tin assistance go you a job you've practical for. Take the time to evaluate what your current network looks like, then work to expand your network every bit needed.

   • Networks tin can include: friends, co-workers, fellow volunteers, clients, supervisors, religious leaders, fellow students, teachers/professors, business organization contacts, and more.
   • Think about who you'd call for advice, who you'd go to for support, who knows what's going on in your field, who already knows someone yous want to be introduced to, who tin teach you something useful, and who can redundancy your great ideas. All of these people should be a role of your network.
   • Proceed in impact with the people in your network as often as you tin. For case, keep runway of them on LinkedIn and congratulate them on promotions and other major life events. Or make sure to send them a card for their altogether or the holidays every yr.

4. 4

   Consider volunteering for a not-profit or a special upshot. Just keep in mind virtually voluntary organisations are often very strict regarding references themselves. If you tin become taken on, volunteer feel is only as valuable as whatsoever paid work experience you may have. Volunteering oftentimes means y'all need to work in a group or team setting, and usually ways y'all have someone to whom you report. Swain volunteers or volunteer supervisors can as well be references.^[ix]

   • Volunteer work that you've performed for a religious or social group can likewise be used as both experience and a potential reference.

5. 5

   Ask former teachers or professors to exist a reference. If you're about to graduate loftier school or college, ask a one-time teacher or professor to be a reference for y'all. They've non only seen your piece of work, but they'll have had the chance to evaluate and observe your ability to piece of work with others, be a leader, make presentations, and work under pressure level.^[ten]

   • Enquire your teacher or professor before you exit school. Yous are non likely to be the starting time student to ask them for a reference.
   • Consider asking your instructor or professor for a reference letter as well. Equally y'all tin can imagine, they're going to accept a lot of future students. Writing downwards the great things about you when they remember them will be helpful for them in the hereafter.

6. half dozen

   Avoid called-for valuable bridges. It may go without saying, but you demand to endeavor non to burn any bridges with former managers or employers. As much as a one-time director or employer may annoy you, you may need them to assist you lot preserve your livelihood. If needed, consider it a selfish deed on your part to care for them nicely and accept advantage of their ability to give you a reference.^[xi]

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1. 1

   Utilize to the job regardless of your reference state of affairs. Regardless of how you feel most your professional reference situation, don't let information technology stop you from applying to the jobs you want. If you practise non have any professional person references, you demand to make certain your application, resume or CV, and interview are then exceptional that the potential employer volition desire to rent you regardless of your lack of references.^[12]

   • Put all your effort into the job search, application, and interview process and try not to worry about your reference situation.
   • When a potential employer finally asks for references, discuss your various options with them. If you've impressed them to this bespeak, they'll work with you to find an alternative to a professional reference.

2. 2

   Ensure you have a acme-notch resume or CV. You should always accept extra time and intendance putting together your resume, only you should pay more attention to this step when you don't have references. Yous want to be certain that your resume makes you stand up out among the other applicants. Make sure your resume looks professional person and is free from errors and misspellings.

   • A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a resume for academic or enquiry jobs. A CV is normally much longer and much more detailed than a typical resume. Don't submit a CV for a job that doesn't require one. Due to its length, a hiring director will not likely accept time to read it and may overlook you altogether.
   • Resumes, like cover letters, tin exist customized to the task you're applying for. For example, if you include an objective or goal argument at the summit of your resume, you may desire to alter it depending on what blazon of job you're applying to.
   • In today'southward figurer-based earth, make sure your resume is formatted in a way that can hands exist scanned. Many large organizations have recruiting systems that browse resumes and enter the data from your resume into a database. Having your resume in their database increases your chances of getting a job.
   • Try to keep your resume to 2 pages, especially if you're just starting your career.

3. 3

   Do not provide references unless asked. Most employers won't ask for references until later on they've reviewed your application and resume, and mayhap not until after they've interviewed you. Don't put the sentence "References Available Upon Request" on your resume. If an employer wants or needs a reference, they'll enquire. There's no reason you need to volunteer the information, or the fact that you lot practise non have any references, up front.^{[13] [fourteen]}

   • The words "References Available Upon Request" can take upwards much needed space on your resume and ends up just stating the obvious.

4. 4

   Write an exceptional cover letter. Cover messages may not always be asked for in a job posting, only if you do not accept whatever references, y'all'll always desire to include a encompass alphabetic character so you stand out. Cover letters are your opportunity to tell a potential employer how your skills and abilities relate specifically to the requirements of the job y'all're applying for.

   • You should write a different cover letter for each and every job you apply for. While you can re-use certain parts of a cover alphabetic character for more than one job, each letter of the alphabet should exist customized for the job yous're applying to.
   • Exist sure to use keywords from the job posting in your embrace alphabetic character. Many employers use a encompass letter to determine how well you read the job posting, how well you understood the organisation, and how well you understood what they were looking for in an employee.
   • Make sure the formatting (due east.k. font, margins, etc.) on your cover alphabetic character matches your resume.

5. 5

   Learn everything you can about the company yous're applying to. Yous need to do everything and annihilation you can to make up for the fact that you don't have references. This ways y'all need to take the time to research whatsoever you tin about the visitor yous're applying to — specially if you have an interview. This enquiry should also include anything y'all can find nigh the specific job yous've applied for. Make notes every bit you do your research, and when you're done, go dorsum through your notes and come up with questions you tin ask the hiring managing director.^[xv]

   • The best place to outset your enquiry is the company's website. If it's a publicly-traded company you should be able to download the company'southward annual and quarterly reports from their website. You lot tin can also read recent press releases to determine what the company feels is important for the public to know.
   • This is a great take a chance for you to utilise your network. Inquire people from your network what they know nigh the company or the position. If you know someone who has worked at the company before, ask them most the organizational culture and hiring process.

6. 6

   Prepare yourself extensively for interviews. Getting an interview means you've passed the showtime step and your resume stood out to the potential employer. It too means you lot're one step closer to needing to provide references. Use the interview as a chance to testify this employer but how great you are in person. Take your time preparing for the interview and practicing your answers. You lot need to wow the hiring manager so much that they'll make an exception to asking for references.^[16]

   • You tin can find many standard interview questions online with a quick Google search.
   • Practice with some other person who volition give you honest feedback about your answers, posture, style, manner, etc.
   • Exercise speaking without adding fillers similar 'um' or 'similar.'
   • Bring notes and questions to the interview with you. And don't be afraid to have notes during the interview.
   • Make sure you know where you demand to go for the interview, specially if y'all've never been in that location before. Visit the location in advance if needed.
   • Programme to arrive at the interview location early. You don't have to get in and denote yous've arrived actually early, but by being early you ensure you're not late.

7. vii

   Dress for the job you desire. Clothes appropriately for each interview based on the job and the organization you lot've applied to. Unfortunately y'all lack one critical piece of data a hiring manager may need, then y'all demand to look the part at the interview. If you lot're unsure what the clothes code is, don't be afraid to ask in advance. While a business arrange is near appropriate for almost professional interviews, wearing a arrange to a chore interview equally a truck driver or structure worker volition likely ship the incorrect message.^[17]

   • Even if the visitor has a casual apparel lawmaking, avert clothing such equally: ripped jeans, shirts with offensive language or an unusual company logo, shorts, tank tops, really curt skirts, and other items that may appear unprofessional.

8. 8

   Seek the advice of a career advisor or consultant. If you're currently employed, your employer may provide career advice and help on their internal website. If your employer has unfortunately laid you off, they may offer career services equally office of your severance package. If you have whatever blazon of career services available to you, brand use of them to perfect your resume, embrace letter, and interviewing skills. A career advisor, consultant, or coach will be able to provide you lot with some slap-up advice on what to practice when y'all don't have references.^[18]

   • If career services are non role of your severance packages, consider request for them to be included.

9. 9

   Utilize the resources available at career centres. If y'all're a current loftier schoolhouse or college pupil, take advantage of the assistance your school'south career center can provide. Many career centres offer workshops on writing a resume or preparing for an interview, too every bit individual consultations to review a resume or encompass letter.

   • Many college career centres also host networking events and career fairs on campus to assistance students find summertime employment and full-time work.

10. ten

    Send a thank you letter after an interview. No affair how well or how desperately the interview went, e'er send a thank you letter to the people who interviewed you. While sending an actual card would be overnice, an electronic mail will work just every bit well, peculiarly since it'll arrive much faster. Customize the thank you lot note to include one or ii specific things discussed in the interview.^[19]

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Add together New Question

• Question

  What exercise yous do if you lot don't have 3 professional references?

  

  Dr. Colleen Campbell is the Founder and CEO of The Ignite Your Potential Centers, Career and Life Coaching based in the San Francisco Bay Surface area and Los Angeles. Colleen is an International Coach Federation accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC). Colleen received her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Sofia University and has been career coaching since 2008.

  

  Career & Life Coach

  Good Answer

  If you don't have references, try networking with people in the industry where you desire to work. If yous're hoping to piece of work with a startup, for example, get to events where startups are pitching new ideas. If y'all're personable and tin can present yourself well, that could exist a way to go an opportunity that y'all might not get if someone merely sees your resume.

• Question

  Who tin I apply equally a reference for my first job?

  

  Adrian Klaphaak is a career charabanc and founder of A Path That Fits, a mindfulness-based boutique career and life coaching company in the San Francisco Bay Surface area. He is also is an accredited Co-Active Professional person Coach (CPCC). Klaphaak has used his training with the Coaches Training Institute, Hakomi Somatic Psychology and Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) to assist thousands of people build successful careers and live more purposeful lives.

  

  Career Coach

  Expert Answer

  Start by going dorsum to teachers or professors you've had in higher or high school. You could also enquire a coach, someone yous worked for as a volunteer, or someone who managed a project you worked on. If yous really have to dig, you can even ask someone in the customs you grew up in or someone yous babysat for.

• Question

  How do you lot inquire someone to exist a reference?

  

  Adrian Klaphaak is a career coach and founder of A Path That Fits, a mindfulness-based bazaar career and life coaching company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also is an accredited Co-Active Professional Coach (CPCC). Klaphaak has used his preparation with the Coaches Training Institute, Hakomi Somatic Psychology and Internal Family unit Systems Therapy (IFS) to help thousands of people build successful careers and live more purposeful lives.

  

  Career Coach

  Skillful Answer

  Talk to the person about the job you're applying for and what qualifications you have that y'all'd similar them to substantiate. For case, yous might remind them of a projection yous worked on for them to refresh your retentiveness. That way, they can speak about you in a way that will specifically describe you lot equally a adept fit for the job.

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• Exist enlightened - Some non-professional jobs may not permit you bypass a reference course, requiring you lot to input for submission. Try calling and asking a manager can you bring in letters of recommendation.

• Ever make sure you have permission from your reference(s) to provide their contact information to potential employers.

• It is ever a good idea to give your references a heads-up if and when you requite them equally a reference in a job application.

• If yous've practical to a specific chore for a specific reason, information technology is besides helpful to provide this info to your references and then they tin can speak directly to these items when your potential employer contacts them.

• If you are providing a reference that is not in your current time zone, make certain to include an email address in addition to a phone number. It may be easier for a potential employer to get a hold of your reference via email than via phone.

• Potential employers are aware that yous may not want your current employer to know you lot're looking for a chore. If y'all ask them not to contact your existing employer, they will very likely understand and respect the asking.

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Article Summary 10

If y'all don't have whatever references to get a chore with, attempt reaching out to a former colleague or teacher for a character reference. You can also get a reference for any volunteer work yous've done in the by. If you can't get whatsoever character references, apply for the job with the best resume and encompass letter you can write, since many employers don't follow through with references anyway. If they do request references, politely explain that you don't have any and offer a portfolio of previous reports, presentations, and essays instead to demonstrate your capability. For more tips from our Careers co-author, including how to write an exceptional job application, read on!

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