Financial Freedom SG

I recently wrote back to two different HR people following up on two ex-colleagues who worked with and reported to me in my past job as they were applying for new jobs. It seems that more companies are following up on the referees and references to check about the potential recruits that they are hiring.

Some of them follow up on the telephone, while others prefer a written short report covering areas that they are interested to know more about the incoming recruit.
I hope that I have given a fair and objective reference check and that they land the jobs.

In my past two employment opportunities, I did not seek the job, it actually came to me via people that I know from my previous job. The previous job I landed in was because an ex-colleague recommended me. The current job is because one of the manager in a vendor company who worked with me on a project recommended me.

I read an article which argues that as you become more experienced, it is your contacts and people who have worked with you that helps you progress and land you a new job. So when working, it is important to be professional, not play one party against another and also to lend help when necessary.

I believe in the mantra that you praise publicly and scold privately. The recently retired football manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is a master of keeping dirty linen private. He can throw teacups and kick soccer boots at people (ask David Beckham) behind closed doors, but in public, he doesn’t slam or put down his own players.

It makes people realise that it is okay to make genuine mistakes and get berated behind closed doors but you don’t get humiliated in public.

In the different jobs that I have done, I think I can count on one hand the number of people that I will really NOT like to work with again. The majority are people that have strengths that overcomes any weaknesses that they may have.

I hope the same applies to me, so that is why some of these people recommended me when they have a position vacant.

It is these contacts that you make in your career that is more important, I think, than the salary that you are earning.

So go update your Linkedin to make sure that you have all your colleagues, friends and acquaintances that you have made in your job linked to your profile as you never know if one of them will give you an offer you cannot refuse.