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You may be ready to take on the world after graduating college, but are you ready to provide references? As you proceed further into your career search you will find that most employers will require at least two references during a job search, if not more. What do you do when you have been in school for the last several years and you have not yet had what could be termed as a ‘real’ job?
This is a common problem that many college graduates find themselves facing in their career search. While most students work part-time throughout the school year and in the summer as well, there are some students who do not. Even if you did work, there is a good chance that your job does not exactly relate to the field which you are entering.
The first thing that should be understood when you are trying to gather references is exactly what recruiters are looking for when they are trying to fill an entry-level position. Recruiters understand when they are recruiting for an entry-level position that in most instances you will not have a lot of prior work experience. Therefore, they are more interested in evaluating the potential of your job performance rather than your actual prior job performance.
Regardless of the industry in which you are interested, most entry-level positions will require the same skills and qualities. They include problem solving skills, interpersonal skills, the ability to work well with others and leadership skills. Many graduates are quite surprised to learn that their ability to express their thoughts in a logical fashion, communicate effectively and think quickly is actually more important than their GPA.
In addition, recruiters are looking for involvement in activities on campus and volunteer work. Generally, a recruiter will be more interested in offering the individual who was involved in different activities a position over the student who just went to classes. When a student is involved in many different activities, it provides a lot of insight into their possible job performance. For example, it says they are able to manage their time effectively, probably work well with others and may have strong leadership skills.
So, what kind of references can you provide?
Ideally, you should select two professors who are familiar with your performance as a student. Look for individuals who will be able to speak to your ability to complete projects on time and participate in class discussions. You should also look for a sponsor or faculty advisor with whom you have previously worked. Look for someone who will be able to discuss your leadership and organizational skills. You might also consider asking someone with whom you worked while volunteering in a community service activity.
Remember that even if you have never had an actual job, you still have the opportunity to select references to provide to recruiters. All you need to do is select persons who know you well enough to comment positively on your job performance potential.