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Just use friends and tell the friends ahead of time to pretend for you. No biggie.
Really not that big on lying. Plus my resume is kind of bare so I think they'd know if I was lying.
I already asked 2 of my former coaches, and they've said I can use them. I've read that coaches are professional references and I've also read that they aren't.
Professional references means people you have worked for or with. But if you have never had a job, your coach is probably the next best thing. At least he could speak about your work ethic (which is what the interviewer is trying to find out).
Same last name, different first name, different job title would be OK to list both as references.
If you have a student adviser or a teacher who would give you a good reference, include them. Some sort of academic reference would be good to balance out nothing but sports references. But if the coaches are all you've got, then that will have to do.
Yeah, how about professors you got along well with? Or worked on a project with? Or a adviser?
I'd add some of them.
The school I graduated from was an online school so my teachers and advisors don't know me. I played a sport at the school before that. When I transferred, I burned a lot of bridges. They wouldn't give me a good reference.
And I know it's a horrible idea to ask my current bosses if I may use them as a reference.
When I transferred, I burned a lot of bridges. They wouldn't give me a good reference.
Hope that was really fun. Ever hear the expression : "don't burn bridges" ? Ever wonder why older, more experienced people give you that (and other) advice? And why younger, less-experienced people "know everything" and ignore the advice given by more experienced people?
This. Right here. Is why.
Give them the references you've got. Minimally explain anything else.
LISTEN TO MORE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE. It has been said that if you can learn from your mistakes, you'd be a pretty smart person, but if you can also learn from other peoples' mistakes (don't burn bridges!) you'd be a genius. Be a genius. Shut your mouth, and open your eyes and ears and listen.
Hope that was really fun. Ever hear the expression : "don't burn bridges" ? Ever wonder why older, more experienced people give you that (and other) advice? And why younger, less-experienced people "know everything" and ignore the advice given by more experienced people?
This. Right here. Is why.
Give them the references you've got. Minimally explain anything else.
LISTEN TO MORE EXPERIENCED PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE. It has been said that if you can learn from your mistakes, you'd be a pretty smart person, but if you can also learn from other peoples' mistakes (don't burn bridges!) you'd be a genius. Be a genius. Shut your mouth, and open your eyes and ears and listen.
I left the school because I got hurt and could no longer play sports. When I did that, a lot of people were pissed, mainly the people who I would ask for a reference. So that is what I mean when I say I burned bridges.
So in this case it looks like the older person (you) is the one that thinks they "know everything" when it fact they know nothing.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Use whatever you can, but what they are looking for is people that can reliably comment on your skills, qualifications, and abilities. That would be superiors at previous jobs, or customers that you have worked with in a previous job. If you don't have that, use the coaches or anyone else as that knows you well enough that's not a relative or friend and hope for the best.
Use whatever you can, but what they are looking for is people that can reliably comment on your skills, qualifications, and abilities. That would be superiors at previous jobs, or customers that you have worked with in a previous job. If you don't have that, use the coaches or anyone else as that knows you well enough that's not a relative or friend and hope for the best.
Thanks. I already had 2 people say yes and the other person I want to add has asked me to call him this afternoon. So I should have 3. I'm nervous but looking forward to the interview. It's been hard for me to find jobs where they provide training, and this job does just that.
I left the school because I got hurt and could no longer play sports. When I did that, a lot of people were pissed, mainly the people who I would ask for a reference. So that is what I mean when I say I burned bridges.
So in this case it looks like the older person (you) is the one that thinks they "know everything" when it fact they know nothing.
Actually, it's your use and assumptions around the phrase "burning bridges" that's the problem here. There are two possible realities.
A) You haven't actually burned any bridges and only think you have. Most people will not hold things against you that are beyond your control.
B) The way you handled the fact that you were leaving is what pissed them off and you truly did burn bridges.
Bridges are only "burned" when done willfully(walking out of a job after screaming at your boss for example). If someone won't give you a good reference for something beyond your control, they weren't reliable as a reference under any circumstances.
If you're still desperate for references, it may be worth reaching out to them unless you were unprofessional in how you left... in which case you did burn the bridge and the previous advice about why you shouldn't do that definitely applies.
Actually, it's your use and assumptions around the phrase "burning bridges" that's the problem here. There are two possible realities.
A) You haven't actually burned any bridges and only think you have. Most people will not hold things against you that are beyond your control.
B) The way you handled the fact that you were leaving is what pissed them off and you truly did burn bridges.
Bridges are only "burned" when done willfully(walking out of a job after screaming at your boss for example). If someone won't give you a good reference for something beyond your control, they weren't reliable as a reference under any circumstances.
If you're still desperate for references, it may be worth reaching out to them unless you were unprofessional in how you left... in which case you did burn the bridge and the previous advice about why you shouldn't do that definitely applies.
They did hold it against me, and this was confirmed to me by teammates and other students.
I learned my injury would have an impact on my life in general. I thought about it, decided another year of basketball was not worth having a limp for the rest of my life, and decided to transfer and save my family over $25,000 in tuition.
I wasn't unprofessional in how I left. I told them I didn't want to take the risk of getting injured again and I decided to leave. Some found my decision to be selfish because I left right before the spring semester began.
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