Many candidates find it extremely difficult to ask someone to be a reference. I find one of the primary reasons is that the candidate doesn’t want to bother past supervisors. After all, providing a reference can be time-consuming.

As a supervisor myself, I can honestly say it would never be a burden for me to serve as a reference for one of my top performers. So is the worry of bothering a past supervisor a valid concern?

There are many other reasons candidates are anxious when it comes to asking someone to serve as a reference. Perhaps they haven’t kept up with their past supervisors, and therefore aren’t sure how to find their contact information. Additionally, in many cases, candidates may be worried the reference would simply decline, not being willing to speak on their behalf.

And the biggest fear…what will they say?

I recently presented a webinar where one of the attendees asked if it was appropriate to include her references on her resume.

No. No, it isn’t.

And what about those candidates who provide references without first asking their permission? Eek…that isn’t a smart approach either.

So what is the best practice when it comes to asking someone to serve as your reference? This week’s roundtable provides advice on how to nurture your network so you always have references available. We also give tips on how to ask someone to be a reference, as well as how to prepare your reference in a way that makes you feel confident in what they will say about you.