The short answer to your question is that you shouldn't give anyone a reference unless you feel 100% comfortable with it. You don't want to be put in a position where your credibility is sullied ...

"The best references are ones that have worked with the person most recently. If it's been more than 10 years, for instance, it's very difficult to be a quality reference," McDonald says.

Always give your references a heads-up that someone might call, and send them a copy of your most up-to-date résumé.

We all become forgetful as we age, but we still want others to give us a good job reference. If you give potential references a short list of accomplishments and talking points, you'll make their ...

The right reference can help you land the job, but only if you ask the right person in the right way. Here’s how. Welcome to Pressing Questions, Fast Company’s work-life advice column. Every ...

While some employees won’t listen to the policy and give references anyway, your boss might be a strict rule follower and decline to be a reference even if they otherwise would do so. 2.

And there is no rule that says a reference checker can’t contact anyone they want to. Remember, you want your references to be your best advocates. Be worthy of their praise.

The post The best references to give on a job application appeared first on TheJobNetwork. The Job Network is a USA TODAY NETWORK content partner, providing career and job-hunting advice.

As you assemble your list of references, ask each person specifically whether he or she would be willing to give you a reference. Never include anyone on your reference list without their permission.

2. Hire a reference checking firm and then send a cease-and-desist letter. Many companies have policies against giving references at all but don’t generally enforce it.

Editors should not call references — listed or not — until they get serious and have told the job-seeker they are going to do that. There are lots of reasons for that: ...