The quality and reliability of your professional references can make or break your ability to win over potential employers and land the job you need. Before you decide to send a name and accompanying contact information along to your potential employers, ask yourself these questions. If you can answer yes to at least a few of the questions on the list, your reference may be a wise choice. If you can answer yes to all of them, then there’s no “maybe” about it; list this person and move onto the next one.

1. Does the person know you well? A close professional friend, a coworker, or a supervisor who has worked directly with you in the past will make a great choice. So will a client contact or vendor who dealt with you on a regular basis in a former workplace.
2. Does the person have a high profile or a noteworthy reputation? An industry celebrity, a famous name, the CEO of your former company, or just a person with executive-level status might fit the bill. This person may not know you as well as the reference listed above, but their words and opinions may carry proportionally greater weight.
3. Will the person be easy to reach? Is your contact so busy that she might not answer the phone or return a message from a potential employer? If your reviewers can’t get ahold of your reference, this may have a strong negative impact, since it suggests that she’d rather not speak on your behalf.
4. Will the person speak from the heart and be enthusiastic? If your reference wants you to provide a script or is reluctant to speak off the cuff and share his own feelings about you, this could be a sign of trouble. Try to choose people who genuinely like you and have a personal investment in your success.
5. Has the person offered warm agreement? Always check with your references before you submit their names. Ask if you can list them, and if they dodge the question, hesitate, or mumble an answer and scuttle off, look for alternatives. Only list people who confirm their willingness to speak for you.
6. Is the person experienced, articulate, and socially savvy? Sometimes potential employers ask references tricky questions, for example: “What do you like least about this candidate?” or “Name three tasks you wouldn’t trust the candidate to perform.” Ideally, you’ll want a reference who can answer these curveball questions without saying anything that hurts your chances.

For more on how to choose your references, edit your resume, and ace your interview, contact the job search team at Expert Staffing.