Candidates often wonder if references are really that important and if recruitment companies ever really bother to check them. We often see the line “references available on request” added to the bottom of CV’s with not much thought given to who those referees would be or what they might say about you.
Here at Wilsonhalligan, reference checking is an essential part of our screening process and is often the deciding factor in candidates being offered a position by our clients. Not only do they validate what you have put on your CV and what has been discussed in telephone interviews, but it is also a great insight into what you are like as a crew member, which is so important when you are living and working together in such a close environment.
When applying for a position think carefully about who your references might be and make sure they are contactable. There is nothing more frustrating than having a great phone or face to face interview and then not having reliable and trustworthy references to back you up. References can easily make or break that dream job offer.
Written references are great to have and can be submitted along with your CV but it is also important to list the names and numbers of referees that can be contacted for a verbal reference check. Contact your referee and make sure they are willing to give you a reference. It is then polite to let them know to expect a reference check phone call or email when you have applied for a new position. This can speed up the application process, enabling us to get all relevant information over to the client as soon as possible.
Captains and Heads of Departments are busy and their circumstances can often change, so make sure their contact details are up to date each time you begin the hunt for your next job and confirm that they are still happy to be contacted.
Make sure your references will be relevant to the job role you are applying for. If you are new to the industry you can use references from relatable shore-based positions or those that may have transferable skills and you can also use appropriate character references.
If for some reason you are unable to get a reference from a particular yacht, just let us know. We understand that some yachts in the industry are unable to give references due to company policy or that occasionally you may have had to leave on bad terms. If you explain the situation to us, we are then able to pass that information on to the client.
By following these simple steps you will give yourself the best possible chance of finding your next dream job! Good luck!