How to get a good reference

By JULIE MIDDLETON

What job hunters need to know:

* Don't fake references or information on application forms. You will be found out eventually and word will get around the village in no time.

Momentum Consulting director Pip Kempthorne tells of a man who, in applying for a job this year, gave various names as referees and provided cellphone numbers.

The cellphones were his and he adopted a different persona when answering each of them. "He pulled it off," says Kempthorne, "but got found out three or four months later because of his lack of performance."

* Ask your referees in advance if they will speak for you. It's not fair to put them on the spot if phoned by a would-be employer.

* Consider having a different referee to speak on different aspects of you and your performance - maybe one for a character reference, another for your technical skills, another for your leadership ability. It may be that no one person can best sum up what you would like would-be employers to see.

* Cultivate a group of good referees throughout the years. Keep the relationship alive. And consider asking clients with whom you have a fast relationship to act as referees, says Kempthorne. They could well offer a valuable perspective on your performance.