Follow Up with your job references
We just landed the job offer. Wowsa! Way to go! But wait, there’s something else to do. What’s the very last step we need to check off our list before we do our happy dance?
We interviewed successfully, were offered the position, and the HR department confirmed that our references checked out. Of course they checked out. We provided 6 references and guided our references on what to share about us. Congratulations. You did the work and you earned the position. It’s time for the Happy Dance. But before we do this, we need to do one last thing. We need to connect with our references and let them know the good news.
Our references just did us a huge solid and we need to acknowledge this:
- Let them know you landed the position.
- Share the start date.
- Let them know we couldn’t have done it without their help.
You would be surprised how often this courtesy step is missed and references are taken for granted.
The last thing a reference wants to do is find out you landed the job via social media. This will leave them feeling like they’ve been taken for granted, or worse, used.
Thanking our references with a bottle of wine, a pound of coffee, or even just a hand-written note is a must. The folks that we ask to be our references today are probably the same friends we will ask to be our references in the future. We need to treat this crew right.
You landed the position – let’s make sure we thank the folks that helped us get there.
Key Takeaway: Keep your references in the loop whether you landed the job or you passed on it. If you accepted, send them a little something nice so they know how much you appreciated them going to bat for you. Most people switch jobs every couple of years, so if you ask once, you will probably ask again in the future.
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