Tips for Asking Someone for a Resume Testimonial

Tips for Asking Someone for a Resume TestimonialAs the job seeking process becomes more competitive and creative, candidates have to find more ways to stand out from the rest of the pack. Some job seekers have discovered that adding testimonials to their resumes works wonders in marketing their skills through the words of others.If youve been thinking about incorporating these 1- to 2-sentence testaments to your work ethic into your own resume but have never reached out and asked anyone for one, consider these tips to help you get startedContact People Who Will Offer Rave ReviewsWhen asking for a testimonial, its a great idea to request one from a coworker/oben liegend who is not only influential in your current/previous company or industry as a whole but someone who thinks very highly of you as well.When youre reading reviews about products, do you feel excited about those that mention a need for improvement? If the person from whom youre requesting a testimonial wasnt in love with your work ethic (dont be afraid to ask what they thought of you), you may want to thank them kindly for their consideration and then move on to the next person.Tell Them What Youre Hoping to ReceiveOf course, when you ask someone to write a testimonial for you, you want the thoughts and feelings to come from them. In other words, you dont want to write it for them. But it is a great idea to let them know the general guidelines of the testimonial youre hoping to receive.For instance, you could explain that youre applying for a hospitality manager position that requires you to oversee dozens of staff employees and have 5 years of hotel management experience. This could help the person recommending you to narrow his or her focus when deciding what to write about regarding your contributions to the field.Make koranvers the Timing Is RightWhile you may be surprised by the number of people who will be willing to write a testimonial for you whenever you ask, its a good idea to make sure th at you dont reach out during a busy period in someones dayor even in their career.If you know a person had a challenging day, you may not want to say, Sorry about your horrible day, but while I have you on the phone, can you write a testimonial for me? Accurately gauge your relationship with the personas well as their moodso that you dont annoy them by asking for a favor. Even better, start requesting testimonials well in advance of when youll need them in order to avoid the need to pressure anyone to send yours back.Testimonials are becoming more popular with recruiters and hiring managers who enjoy shortcuts to the recommendation. Adding two or three to your resume, in addition to linking to an online profile, will indeed help you stand out from your competition.For additional tips and advice on resumes and cover letters, follow us on Twitter GreatResume or visit our blog.