We looked at how to request a reference for a job here, so now let’s look at what to do when you are asked to be a professional reference.

First and foremost – Do you want to say ‘yes’?

Keep in mind some companies have policies that only the HR Department can provide information to prospective employers. If the person was a great employee or co-worker, the answer may be obvious. If they were not so stellar and does not perform well in the job, you could look bad for giving a recommendation. 

If you do not want to give a reference, be honest. There are a number of ways to politely decline to give a reference. One way is to say you cannot give a strong recommendation and suggest they look for someone who can praise them properly. Alternatively, you could recommend them on one skill (customer service, for example), but avoid another (timeliness with completing projects).

With much of the closure restrictions lifted in many areas, companies are beginning to ramp back up. That means more interviews and new hires!

In the age of the COVID-19, much of the interview etiquette rules are changing. Here is what you should know:

1. Depending on the type of job, inquire about a video interview.

While certain jobs are more likely to require in-person interviews, if it is a job where you may be working off-site or remotely, there is nothing wrong with asking about using video for the first interview. This is more likely to be granted if there are going to be multiple interviews before the position is offered to a candidate, or if stay-at-home orders are still in place.

But before asking for a video interview, be sure you have the proper equipment at home, along with the internet bandwidth and a professional setting in which to conduct the interview. It is never good to have the company say “sure” to your video interview only to have technical issues and kids or pets interrupting.

With COVID-19 threatening the populace, causing social distancing and shutdowns, now may not seem like the best time to look for new hires. However, essential businesses have essential positions that require staffing in order to keep functioning.

Let’s overcome our worries!

There are advantages to hiring now that many my not be thinking about. People still need jobs in these trying times and with the shutdown on non-essential businesses, the hiring pool is larger than normal. In that pool are plenty of skilled workers looking for a job. While other businesses may be afraid to hire, that leaves a great opportunity for you to hire those skilled workers for your own business.

There are excellent candidates who would like to move to a new position but are not actively looking because of all the downbeat news. To support both parties, Supplemental Staffing can still reach out to them for you. Whether you want to hire someone right now or take them on once the quarantine ends, here are 5 key tips that will enable whichever you decide.

Right now, many people are losing their income or maybe having a tough time finding a job to afford general living expenses. That’s a hard spot to be in. Luckily, there are still plenty of job opportunities to help keep you afloat and we have even had a few people find better, long-term jobs. Supplemental Staffing is actively looking for people to take on these open positions.

But let’s focus on reasonable tips to keep in mind while dealing with the funds received. We understand that not all options are feasible for everyone, but we wanted to share some general ideas.

PUT IT TOWARDS WHERE YOU NEED IT MOST:

• If you do want to use it now – use it wisely. Some debt is being put on hold, like federal student loans, so take advantage of this opportunity to build up some savings or put it towards living expenses in this time of need. 

You have got a good cover letter and resume and you now have an interview, but what are you going to do if they ask for a reference? You need to have your references ready, and aware that you are using them as references. Selecting the right people to provide a reference for you, and then asking them to be a reference, can be a daunting task. These individuals can make or break your job prospects, so you need to put as much thought into finding and asking them as you do the rest of your job-hunting process.

The first thing is to make a list of potential references who can speak about your work skills, past performance or character. Family members might give you a glowing reference, but potential employers are looking for professional references. Your list of potential references should include prior supervisors, co-workers or even clients. Next, you should think about your relationship with each of the people on your list. How long have you known them, how familiar are they with the work you have done in the past, how long has it been since you worked with them? What specific skill or character trait can they speak about if you ask them to be a reference? Also, you will want to think about what exactly the reference will say. You will want someone articulate enough to be able to explain what work you did for/with them and how well you did it. A note to remember, you do not have to select your prior boss. You can ask anyone you worked with who had the opportunity to see how you worked. After answering these questions, narrow down your reference list to three or four names.