References

[Wazzoo]

Just wondering how people deal with this. For example, I was looking at the CTC application process and it requires two references from people who have known you for at least five years and arn't family or close friends.

I can imagine people who have been in the industry for a few years have no problem with this, but it must be somewhat difficult for younger people just starting out.

For instance, my situation is that I've been at university for the last four years, before that I took a year out and then it was back to A-levels and schools. For references that stretch back five years I either have to go back to my school, or friends of my family.

I've had little contact with my school since I left, and while I hope some of the teachers would remember me, its certain to be somewhat hazy at best. As for friends of the family, how do you deal with the stipulation that the referee can't be a close friend. Also, since being abroad for a year and then four years away from my home town at university, I've had little contact with people back home apart from close friends and family! :ugh:

Anyone else I think of from back then has probably had so little contact with me that, while still being on very good terms with them, they barely know what I'm up to now and probably arn't best place to comment on me, my personality, how I work, my achievements etc.

If the requirement comes down to three or four years then the situation becomes much easier as their are plenty of people I know well, have worked with me/taught me and know me professionally, who are well placed to provide a good and accurate reference.

CTC isn't the only one, I've seen other places where references are required that date back a number of years. How do other people deal with it? Whether you're fairly young and not built up the repetoir of contacts or simply that you've moved jobs a few years back and are stuck in the situation where the ones who know you best are not allowed to be referees even when they've known you a number of years. And those who do meet the requirements, you haven't been in touch with for a while and aren't well placed to comment on you and how you're doing now!

Thoughts?

[sicky]

It depends how much detail is required in the references. Sometimes they onyl want to check you are who you say you are and were doing what you say you were doing, other times they want to know what colour underwear you are likely to be wearing on a particular day.

Schools will generally use registers, predicted grades and actual grades to make a rough guess if nobody can remember you, or at least thats what my form tutor admitted once :p

[Wazzoo]

True true...I think I remember hearing something similar at my old school.

Actually, I was just reading the CTC thread and someone said in it that CTC is only looking for a security check, i.e. you are who you are, rather than a character reference. But there have been other instances where I've gone 'hold up..who on earth is meets those requirements for a referee?'

It does depend how the company plans to use the reference. I had heard that strictly a reference should only be checked once a candidate has been selected. So the applicant goes through the whole selection process/interview etc and once the company decides thats the person they won't, only then do they check the references to make sure that there is nothing wrong. Maybe thats more of a 'best practice' kinda idea that doesn't always work out in reality rather than a rule that is enforced.