December 10, 2019

As a grad student that will soon be applying for a new job opportunity, compiling and updating your professional reference list before it’s needed is essential to eliminating unnecessary stress during the job search.

Here are some tips to keep your reference list polished and ready for that next opportunity:

Build good relationships. Building a good reference list is first and foremost about building good relationships. Whether you’d like to ask a current or former supervisor, coworker, or other professional contact to serve as a reference, you’ll need to keep in touch so they can provide an accurate representation of your abilities.

Seek out a supervisor. You likely don’t have to include your current supervisor, but you should include someone from a supervisory role on your list. If a potential employer would like your current supervisor to be a reference, contact the hiring manager and see if they will accept another supervisory reference.

Use volunteer experience. Those who know you from your volunteer work can make great professional references and may speak about your skills in new or different ways. Ask if someone from a nonprofit you volunteered for will serve as a reference, and then be sure to include your volunteer role on your resume.

Practice good etiquette. Always ask others if they’re willing to serve as a professional reference, let them know why you’re asking, and find out how they prefer to be contacted. Tailor your reference list to the job you’re seeking, listing references in order of importance.

Building a well-developed personal brand will differentiate you from other job candidates when marketing yourself to potential employers. Watch this video to learn the first steps in building an individual brand and how to develop and maintain your reputation online and offline.

As the fall semester comes to an end, staying focused during the last few weeks is extremely important — but can definitely be a struggle. To achieve everything on your to-do list, try meditating.

Meditation is an evidenced-based method for increasing concentration and mental clarity as well as helping to induce positive states of relaxation and well-being. UHS provides free meditation classes both on-campus and online to all students. As busy as this time of year can be, consider scheduling some time to practice meditation.