The economy shows slow improvement, and for jobless millions that means room to hope. To get the most out of your search for work, be sure your references are good ones.
Your job hunt probably requires you to provide references. This post at money.usnews.com explains some of the pitfalls of getting references. A bad reference can torpedo your search for work, but so can a lukewarm reference, says blogger and consultant Alison Green. She says hiring managers don't think much of reference letters, and gives advice for neutralizing a bad reference.
Quintcareers.com confirms that employers routinely ignore "generic letters of reference" and want to go straight to the person for a conversation by phone or e-mail. Randall S. Hansen, who founded Quintessential Careers, says: "Do not underestimate the power of your references." So it is important to cultivate them, keep them informed, and understand what they are likely to say - or reveal - to a prospective employer.