Identify Your 4 to 6 Best References
For returning professionals a well-chosen and well-briefed reference list does double duty. It validates your professional track record and it demonstrates that the people who worked most closely with you before your break are still enthusiastic advocates for your capabilities. That endorsement carries genuine weight with employers who are uncertain about the gap.
For returning professionals a well-chosen and well-briefed reference list does double duty. It validates your professional track record and it demonstrates that the people who worked most closely with you before your break are still enthusiastic advocates for your capabilities. That endorsement carries genuine weight with employers who are uncertain about the gap.
Step by Step
Prioritize former managers and close colleagues from your most recent roles before your break These are the people with the most direct knowledge of your professional capabilities. Even if several years have passed their endorsement of your work is still valuable and relevant.
Consider whether any contacts from professional activities during your break can serve as references If you did any volunteer work, board service, consulting, freelance projects, or community leadership during your time away these supervisors or collaborators can speak to your professional capabilities in a more recent context. This is particularly valuable because it addresses the gap directly.
Write a list of 6 to 8 potential references and select your strongest 4 to 6 Prioritize people who:
Knew your work in depth and can speak specifically and enthusiastically about it
Will respond promptly when contacted by an employer
Understand your career break and can speak positively about your readiness to return
Are credible professionals whose endorsement carries weight
Think about what each reference is likely to say For each person on your list consider whether they are aware of your career break, whether they would be supportive and positive about your return, and what specific things they are likely to highlight about your capabilities.
Tips for success
Brief every reference on your career break and your return narrative so they are not caught off guard if an employer asks about your time away.
A reference who was not aware of your break and is surprised to learn about it during a reference call will not give as confident a reference as one who was fully briefed and genuinely supportive.
If your strongest references are from many years ago that is completely acceptable. The quality and specificity of what they say matters more than the recency.