Please provide three professional references… If this looks familiar, and you are transitioning out of the military or you have recently, you may be at a loss. Did it take you a while to figure out who to write down? Did you contact them? Did you think about this before transitioning out and possibly ask your favorite members of the command team if you could put them down?
Make the best choice for you
There are a lot of options when it comes to who you write as a professional reference. As a service member, we live, work, and eat, around several people that we respect, work with, and know way too much about. That might worry you when it comes to writing down that person as a reference. Let’s save some time and get right down to who you should or want to consider writing down as a professional reference and on what occasions.
Here are some of the best people they can use as job references.
1. Former Military Supervisors or Commanding Officers
Commanding Officers: High-ranking officers who can speak to leadership skills, decision-making abilities, and performance under pressure.
Direct Supervisors: Individuals who directly oversaw their work, providing insights into daily responsibilities, work ethic, and reliability.
2. Fellow Service Members
Peers: Colleagues who worked alongside them and can vouch for their teamwork, collaboration, and specific skills.
Subordinates: If applicable, those they supervised who can testify to their leadership and mentorship abilities.
3. Civilians Worked With During Service
Civilian Contractors: Individuals from outside the military who collaborated with them on projects, providing a perspective on their ability to work with non-military personnel.
Government or Agency Partners: Civilian employees from government agencies or organizations who can discuss how the retiree navigated joint missions or projects.
4. Mentors or Senior Leaders
Senior Military Leaders: Mentors or leaders who guided them through their career, offering a long-term perspective on their growth, potential, and character.
Advisors or Career Counselors: Individuals who helped shape their career path and can speak to their strategic planning and career achievements.
5. Colleagues from Post-Military Engagements
Volunteer Work Supervisors: If they’ve engaged in volunteer work, supervisors can attest to their community involvement and leadership outside the military context.
Consulting Clients: For those who have done consulting work, clients can provide references based on professional performance in a civilian context.
As you can see, there are a lot of options when it comes to whom you want to list as a reference. I suggest creating a list of those that come to mind and are the best matches, as well as the best character witnesses for each of these categories. Once you have that list of names put together, with or without a backup name, reach out to the individuals listed and ensure that they are okay with you listing them as a reference. You never want to assume that they are okay with you giving out their phone number. Just because they agree to you using them as a reference then, and are prepared to receive the call, it is always courteous to ensure that they are prepared in case the call is imminent. After you place their name on any paperwork, reach out the them with the name of the company, the position you are applying/interviewing for, and maybe an idea or two of why you would be a great fit for that job.
