Everyone that’s who. These are the people who will vouch for you and hopefully praise you to potential employers. What they can say can make a lot of difference on whether or not you are hired.
So how do you choose who to use as a reference. First and foremost do not use any kind of familial relation, so no parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Potential employers may question the validity of the reference when talking with someone who you consider a family member. In other words, if you went to a family reunion with this person try not use them.
Who you can use:
- Professors
- Past employers
- Supervisors
- Business Associates
Remember to ask these people for permission and how they best want to be contacted. If you do not ask your reference will be blind sided and perhaps not give you a great reference. This also allows you to discuss with your reference what type of positions you are applying for and to help your reference remember some of the different accomplishments you have achieved. For more tips on reference go to http://www.cofc.edu/%7Ecareer/References.pdf to learn more about layout and who to choose.