How significant is it to have references?

[Seas]

Hello all,

I am a RN who has been working at a telemetry floor for a year, and I am planning to change my specialty. So I have been job hunting recently.

Where I want to work most doesn't require but it is optional to attach a reference page in job application process. Honestly, I have about no references to give. I want to have some though. I have a friend from nursing school who we told each other we could use each other as references, but it's been a year after graduation; she's living and working in a different state, so I don't even know it would count to still list her as a reference.

Hence, I have a few questions regarding this:

1. Does having references significantly impact the chances of setting an interview and possibly getting hired?

2.Would hiring managers count my nursing school friend as a reference?

3. How should I approach to my co-workers about this? I need to know appropriate ways to ask them to be my references. I am not personally close with them, but we work pretty good together. So asking them something gets a little hard for me here. And their thoughts that I am asking them this to find another job! lol. I know this is a professional world, but still...

4. Is anybody I work with okay to be a reference? I work with a PCA who absolutely loves working with me, she describes the reasons well. I would love to list her as one. Would having her as a reference count less than having a RN, for hiring managers?

5. Could there be any other good references than co-workers? Even my high school teacher who I keep in touch and who likes my work ethics and intelligence? I sure don't plan to list close friends or family though, since it would be perceived biased.

6. Lastly, how many references would be just sufficient?

Sorry if I am asking too many questions, and thanks for reading. I would appreciate your responses!

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Forget about old school references, employers what to know how you are performing now. It doesn't have to be a friend. But if you can't come up with at least one person at your job who thinks you do a good job, you have a problem you need to work on. Just ask someone with whom you are friendly. Three is normal. Ideally your supervisor and two coworkers. Good luck.

[Teacher Sue]

Yes, you will need references. You may not need to put them on your application, but you will need to supply them if an offer is made. Most offers are made contingent on references checking out. If hospital policy allows, your current manager can be a reference, but many hospitals have a policy against managers supplying references for current employees. Coworkers can be used as a reference as can former supervisors. References from former non nursing jobs are OK if they can speak to your work ethic. If you have been out of school less that a year, you can use your instructors. I would not use a high school teacher. You should be able to approach coworkers and ask them to give you a refernce. Whatever you do, make sure you ask before you give someone's name as a reference. You should have at least three.

[LynnLRN]

Do you not have a manager or supervisor you can use. What about your fellow nurses or a doctor or care management or anyone you have came into contact with that has seen you do a good job and likes you. I would suggest 3 references, with atleast 1 being from someone superiour to you. Do you have a charge nurse that you work with that you feel comfortable asking. I would ask the person by saying something like I'm trying to put a resume together because I would like to develop more professionally, I was wondering if it would be ok to use you as a reference. Then maybe discuss a couple strengths and weaknesses of yours and your future goals.

The one thing I think you need to be careful of is making sure that you say to the people you ask to be your reference is that you are trying to develop leadership skills or education or whatever specialty you are trying for. Say that you are ready for a change! Do not say I hate this job, I don't like it or anything negative. Because you still have to work with these people if you do not find another job.

I probably would skip right over someones resume if they didn't "bother" to take the time to add references. I would think it was a sign of laziness and poor networking.

[Seas]

I would ask the person by saying something like I'm trying to put a resume together because I would like to develop more professionally, I was wondering if it would be ok to use you as a reference.

Hmm. Very nice way to put it out to words. I am okay with asking my co-workers, but for the manager,I am afraid my manager will flat out think I am trying to find a new job already.

Thanks for saying you would skip one without references, because it really matters. Definitely something I should consider!

Thanks for everybody for the opinions. Please keep them coming!

[Seas]

Has anybody ever asked their current managers to be a reference for them? Or is there a manager here who could share how you would think if your employee asked you for something like this? I wonder the reaction from the managers!

[Teacher Sue]

I don't have a problem with staff asking me for a reference, but in every hospital I've worked, managers were not permitted to supply references for current or former employees. Any requests for a reference were directed to HR. I do not become upset if an employee tells me they want to move on for any reason. I believe that everyone should be happy in their job. If someone wants to move on because they are unhappy or because they want to grow in their career, I will support them any way I can.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I recently changed jobs. References are a must. I used mostly charge nurses from my hospital job and then one nurse who I've worked with in a volunteer capacity for many years.

You don't have to use your manager though there are some potential employers who will request permission to contact your current employer. Personally, I didn't use my manager as a reference because I didn't tell her I was thinking of leaving because I didn't want her to try to talk me out of it. I also thought that those who I did use could better speak to my work/skills since they actually worked with me every day. My manager mostly sat in an office and talked to me once a year.

[Twinmom06, ASN, APN]

I'm not yet a nurse but I have applied for several hospital jobs (including an externship) and I used 2 of my clinical instructors and my supervisor from my former job (I worked with her for 10 years)...my CI's were more than willing to write references for us - are you still close with any of them?

[Seas]

I'm not yet a nurse but I have applied for several hospital jobs (including an externship) and I used 2 of my clinical instructors and my supervisor from my former job (I worked with her for 10 years)...my CI's were more than willing to write references for us - are you still close with any of them?

I don't keep in touch with them. I had 2 CI's who were so satisfied with my job at clinicals and I was close to them. I should have asked them for reference letters. For some reason, I didn't. Now, they both left the school, and I don't see them.

But I believe in having updated references anyway. Because it's been a year from graduation; I have been out as a nurse, not a student, so school-related references wouldn't be taken too seriously anymore, I guess.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

I used my co-workers, and former co-workers have used me.

[WhortonOKC]

I hate to break this to my fellow nurses, but things have changed. Gone are the days of dropping off a resume and chatting with the nurse recruiter. Case in point, I recently went to apply for a position at an employer in a larger city. Turned in an updated resume online and spoke with a nurse recruiter, who then advised me I needed to go online and supply more information and references. Ok, not a problem.

I have been an RN for 24 years with a BSN. All but the last few years as critical care. When I went online I was confronted with a REQUIREMENT for "at least 5 References. At least 2 of your References must be, or have been, your direct managers. "

The form for references was quite invasive, requesting when and where I worked with the person, and the capacity in which I worked with them. Phone number and email were mandatory.

I am assuming as HR departments generally don't give much information anymore, the insistence for using managers as personal references is an attempt to get around such restrictions. While I can understand it, it is overly invasive, inconvenient and presumptuous. I have attached a screen shot of the reference submission page.