References need to include 2 supervisors or above

[bathrobemom]

I have a phone interview tomorrow. If I'm selected to move on in the process I have to provide 5 references. Copy and pasted directions from my letter:

"if you are chosen to be considered further, you will be sent an email asking you to submit a minimum of 5 reference contacts, INCLUDING EMAIL ADDRESSES, from your previous employers and/or educational institutions(s). You will need to provide contact information for at least 2 supervisors or above. The remainder can be staff, coworkers, members of work teams, preceptors, instructors, etc. This process does not include personal references. "

I tracked down the owner from my last previous job so I have 1 of the 2 supervisors I need. The second one is going to be tricky. It looks like the supervisor from the job before that is possibly retired. This person has a LinkedIn page. I think she might not remember me, I quit in 2007 and this was a retail job with a high turnover. I guess I could add my picture and see if she remembers me.

One possible alternative is my current DON. She told me she'd be a reference, but that was when she thought I'd have to leave my current job (she didn't think I would be eligible for home health being a new LPN). I haven't told anyone at my job that I'm looking for a new one. Should I ask her if she could be a reference? She's not a previous supervisor, she's a current one, so would that be acceptable?

If those two people don't work then I have to go back about 15 years and that just seems way too far back, those people are never going to remember me.

Thanks for you help!

Also if you have any tips for getting an OB/GYN clinic position that would also be greatly appreciated!

[bathrobemom, LPN]

One of my references was dragging her feet, I texted her a couple of times and explained everything just in case she didn't get that an email and not a phone call would be the process. I made sure I had the correct email address, etc. She still never sent it, luckily I had an extra reference. Get an extra reference!

I imagine the website keeps track of you re-sending email to your references. I'm counting on the company seeing that I re-contacted my reference, had an extra one to go beyond the 5 I needed. There's only so much you can do - if someone drags their feet at some point they are the ones that failed, not you. I asked for their permission, I set up the reference email, I re-sent an email. If that's not good enough and they want to be that picky about references then maybe that's not the company I want to work for.

[Qteapi]

I try to have backups.

The sad part is the back up reference is dragging her feet too....Lawd have mercy! I gave them more than requested but they wanted reference from company I knew that this would happen with...so I am screwed if I keep listing them and they drag butt about being a reference....believe me you if I could get away with not listing them I would because they don't respond in a timely matter....but this may be their master plan since I resigned from the company!

[klone, MSN, RN]

One thing that I recently experienced - applied for a leadership job at a different hospital. They wanted 2 leader/manager references. I KNOW my current manager would give me a very enthusiastic reference, but I also don't want to stress her out needlessly if I'm not going to go past the first round of interviews. So when HR asked for my references, I explained that I wanted to wait on references until/unless/if I made it to the second round of interviews. They were very understanding, and said they'd note it in my personnel record. So I didn't even have to do the reference part (didn't make it past the first interview, as I suspected might happen).

[BiotoBSNtoFNP]

I was asked for 7 professional references for consideration for an RN job. It was excruciating not only coming up with 7 qualified and relevant references but then also keeping tabs on those who had yet to complete the automated survey for the reference! It was a nightmare.

[bathrobemom, LPN]

"The sad part is the back up reference is dragging her feet too....Lawd have mercy! I gave them more than requested but they wanted reference from company I knew that this would happen with...so I am screwed if I keep listing them and they drag butt about being a reference....believe me you if I could get away with not listing them I would because they don't respond in a timely matter....but this may be their master plan since I resigned from the company!"

Sorry you have to deal with that. Like the job hunt process isn't stressful enough as it is. UGH!!!