How Can You Ensure That Your References Help Your Chances of Getting the Job Instead of Hurting Them?

By PHYLLIS KORKKI (NY Times) -- You are in the running for a job and have been asked to supply references. How can you ensure that your references help your chances of getting the job instead of hurting them? These days, employers are calling more references and questioning them more thoroughly than ever before, said Mark Oldman, founder of Vault.com, an online source of career information. Employers make those calls to ensure that applicants are not misrepresenting themselves and because they realize that “a bad hire can cost them more than waiting for the right candidate to come along,” he said. More...