You’ve asked professors and professional contacts to write letters of recommendation for you. But how can you be sure that those letters are doing all they can to help you land jobs?

You’ll find some great advice on this topic in the article “How to Obtain and Use References and Recommendation Letters” by Maureen Crawford Hentz, writing on the QuintCareers.com Website.

Here are just three nuggets of Hentz’s wisdom:

-     Ask indirectly. Hentz recommends emailing your possible referrers to ask for references, not speaking with them directly. The reason? An email allows them to gracefully turn you down if they want. Getting a “no, thank you” is preferable to getting a lukewarm recommendation from someone who didn’t really want to write it for you.

-     Don’t ask for references at the last minute. Instead, collect letters of reference over time, from people who have good things to say about you. When you build a portfolio of references this way, you can later pick and choose the best of them.

-     Supply documentation. If you are asking for a reference for a specific job, give your referrer your resume and a description of the position you are applying for. Also point out how your abilities match the job. That allows your referrer to write a letter that spells out why you are a great fit for the job.

For more good advice on getting references . . .

Watch “Tips for Collecting Job References,” a video from consultant Tine Buechler on YouTube.

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