References. Sounds pretty basic, right? Just list your last three managers, and you’re all set. Wrong! In the last GCM Career column, we learned that references are extremely important and can be an invaluable part of a successful job search to land a job as a golf course superintendent, assistant or equipment manager.
Let’s examine how to build and grow your reference list. Long before you choose which individuals to list as references on an application, you must first grow your network to spawn a fruitful and comprehensive list of potential references. This month’s column will explore easy steps to build and maximize your reference list to win your next job in 2025 and beyond.
Whom should I list as references?
Remember, this is a strategic part of your overall career documents, not just an alphabetical listing of past supervisors. I recommend keeping a long list of potential references to consider as you customize each job application. To compile your list, think 360 degrees. Reflect on all aspects of your career and individuals who can speak to your skills from various perspectives. In addition to listing a current and/or former manager, consider golfers/members, committee chairs, PGA professionals and other leadership team members, such as the membership director, golf course architects, contractors, vendors, agronomy consultants, colleagues and community contacts. Once you have your list of potential references, select individuals for each application who would best support and reiterate your claims in the areas that are important for the leadership team and golfers at that particular golf facility.
How do I grow my reference list?
The first step in making references a key part of your career plan starts today: Build your network and stay connected to your potential references. Think of your reference list as a culmination of relationships you can grow daily. You may have heard the phrase that every day you are interviewing for your next job. I believe you are also building your references every day through regular daily interactions. I encourage you to approach every day as an opportunity to build your relationships, which organically will create mutual references. Then when your dream job opens, you will be ready with plenty of options to make your references count.
One last idea?
Instead of waiting and hoping for hiring committees to call your references, be proactive and utilize your network to stand out. One tactic that can get you to the top of the stack is if someone will place a call on your behalf to the target golf facility. This is a strategy that shouldn’t be overdone and must be thoughtfully employed, but it can be powerful. This is when networking can be critical in prompting the hiring committee to anticipate receiving your career documents, providing a great introduction and ultimately supporting your case as a strong candidate.
One hiring committee on which I served to select a golf course superintendent is a great example of this strategy coming to life. Our committee had already met to receive all the résumés, and we were coming back together to select which candidates we wanted to interview. Before we began our discussion, the general manager handed out copied notes to each of us, detailing two phone conversations he had with industry leaders who had called to give an unsolicited recommendation for one of the candidates. What do you think happened next? We all looked through our stack of résumés and pulled out that candidate to discuss his potential fit with our club, and we decided that, yes, we would like to interview him. I honestly don’t think he would have been discussed in our meeting, with 100-plus résumés and many candidates having more experience and better credentials. Ultimately, he got the job. Once we met him, we found that he indeed would be the best fit for the membership. Yes, he had to win the interview to get the job, but he may have never had that opportunity if we hadn’t received those two phone calls.
I challenge you to incorporate these strategies to leverage your references and create a strong marketing tool to supplement your résumé. You will put your job search on a winning pathway to set you apart and ultimately advance your career.
Carol D. Rau, PHR, has been a career consultant and speaker with GCSAA since 2005 and specializes in golf and turf industry careers. Rau is a frequent speaker at national, regional and local GCSAA conferences and teaches GCSAA webinars.