by Christopher Jones
The humble letter of reference remains a powerful tool, especially
in a tough job market. Supervisors move on. They change jobs and
cities. However, a good letter of reference lives quietly in your
portfolio, regardless of what destiny has in store for your former
bosses.
The ideal time to ask an employer to write a letter of reference
is after you've given notice that you're leaving.
If you ask for the letter before you're ready to move on, your
employer may suspect you're looking for a new job.
Wait too long after you're gone and the employer may not remember
you well enough to put together a convincing letter.
Wait a couple of days after giving notice to request a letter from
your current supervisor. If you're approaching a former supervisor,
provide a copy of your current resume along with some concrete
examples of your career achievements.
-- NAPSI
