Page 133 - Oscar Adler - Sell Yourself in Any Interview_ Use Proven Sales Techniques to Land Your Dream Job (2008)

GETTING AND MAXIMIZING REFERENCES AND REFERRALS

HOW TO MAXIMIZE LETTERS OF
RECOMMENDATION AND REFERRALS

Once you have collected letters from your supporters, what
do you do with them? My suggestion is to invest in a leather
binder or portfolio and put your referrals in plastic sleeves.
Take this portfolio with you to every interview. Ask your
interviewer if you could present some letters that explain how
people feel about you. Then open the binder and show the
references. Although it is difficult to judge how long an inter-
view will last, it is usually more effective to present your ref-
erences at the beginning or in the middle of the conversation.
If you wait until the end you will have missed an opportu-
nity for further discussion.
As the interview is drawing to a close, remind the inter-
viewer about the specific benefits of having you on his or her
team. Before you leave, give the interviewer a list of your ref-
erences, on a separate piece of paper, with names, titles, com-
pany names and addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail
addresses. Be sure that your name and contact information is
listed at the top—in case your reference list gets separated
from your résumé.
As you offer this list to your interviewer, encourage the
interviewer to contact your references. This is one of the few
areas where you have some control during the interview pro-
cess. You have already contacted your references and know
that they will provide positive feedback that will reinforce the
benefits of hiring you. Encouraging the interviewer to contact
these great resources will give you another chance to stand
out from the crowd.
The interviewer’s reaction also could be a clue about
interest you have generated. If he or she accepts your refer-
ence list eagerly or asks for more information about your

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