I’m hoping someone in the higher ed field or anyone with relevant hiring experience can help with this question.
It seems that jobs in higher ed institutions frequently have 3 reference requirements. Name, position, institution, email, other contact info. If the application is on-line, it can’t be submitted without the fields being filled.
As an applicant, it isn’t always prudent to let on to superiors and co-workers that one is looking or applying. That leaves former co-workers or others outside direct report lines that may not have the most recent experience with the applicant and can’t always speak to recent responsibilities and accomplishments. Some applications ask “May we contact the reference” others don’t give the option at all.
So, what does the applicant do? Risk giving contact info for current superiors or colleagues? Seek out former co-workers (who may also be interested in applying for that great job!)? Seek references from clients and give away that you may no longer be there for them?
Help, please! I must be missing something. Too long out of college for professor recs and no professional mentor relationships!
Use the names of former colleagues to fill out the form, even if it’s been a while since you’ve worked with them. Nobody has the time to contact references BEFORE interviewing you… once you’ve interviewed, you can explain that you’ve got more recent or more relevant references to give them. And this is a good kick in the pants to keep your professional network current!!! Conferences, listservs, white papers- what ever you can do to have buddies at other institutions who can vouch for your professionalism and “not a sociopath”. Good luck!
I would tell someone you work with that you might be applying for a new position and that you’d like to list them as a reference who may or may not be ever be contacted. I wouldn’t mention the job.
I work in higher ed and yes, former supervisors or co-workers would be the best option. I, too, would have that challenge in a major way as I’ve been at the same college for 22 years.
Thanks! Glad to hear I am not alone, @MAandMEmom! I also hadn’t thought of offering more recent references if the interest was clearly serious. At that point, secrecy is less an issue. Very helpful everyone!
When I was on committees for hiring in higher ed, our policy was never to start calling references until we contacted the candidate and made sure it was okay to contact references. But I don’t know if everybody does that.
If you don’t feel comfortable asking a current supervisor, a trusted colleague could be a reference. If you don’t have that, a former colleague or supervisor, or someone in a different area you work with and trust could be a reference.