Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR ...

Reference checks should be initiated for all final candidates prior to recommending a candidate for the position. Obtain several professional references for each candidate under serious consideration.

What others say about a job candidate is far more important than what they could say about themselves. Prospective employers really take into consideration what job references say about a candidate.

References can be divided into two main categories by purpose: academic and professional. An academic reference is typically a formal letter of recommendation for an academic job, a scholarship, or a ...

You never know when you might get a request to write a reference letter. In many instances, you will need a letter of reference when applying for a job. Either way, it’s vital to understand the ins ...

This reader thought he had a strong reference lined up for his last job, but his boss went MIA. Should he push to get that reference, or is it better to focus his time elsewhere? In my final meeting ...

Employers have always wanted to know about prospective employees’ technical skills, but an individual’s creativity, resilience, and determination are just as important. Who better to attest to these ...