UPDATED / Poll: Reference Question - Job Application

[mellymel]

If you were applying for a job and the Reference section of the application looked like this, how would you interpret it?

List 3 references who are not relatives or previous employers.

Poll questions for the app users: Would you interpret it to mean:
A) List 3 personal character references
B) List 3 people you've worked WITH but have not reported to
C) Other/Special Snowflake

UPDATE:

I interpreted this as Option A. One of my references sent me the actual reference questions over the weekend:
 
1. YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE APPLICANT? 

2. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THEM?

3. HOW ARE THEY AT DEALING WITH OTHERS?

4. WHERE ARE THEY CURRENTLY EMPLOYED? 

5. WHAT TYPE OF WORK DID / DO THEY DO? 

6. ARE THERE ANY ISSUES IN THEIR BACKGROUND THAT MAY PUT OUR COMPANY AT RISK? 

7. WHAT DO YOU THINK THEIR STRENGTHS ARE? 

8. WHAT DO YOU THINK THEIR WEAKNESSES ARE?

Given this update, does this change your answer to the poll question?

[v]

I would guess 1, but knowing what kind of position it is would be helpful.

[mellymel]

Sept 26, 2014 12:53:51 GMT -5 v said:

I would guess 1, but knowing what kind of position it is would be helpful.

HR Director
ETA: I assumed 1 as well

[Deleted]

I think a mix of both would be ideal if I were the employer. One or two people you have worked with that can vouch for you as a peer in a professional setting and one or two that know you outside of work that can tell about your strength of character.

[laurensmomma]

I assume #1

[AAM2012]

Sept 26, 2014 13:49:11 GMT -5 @forcuatro said:

I think a mix of both would be ideal if I were the employer. One or two people you have worked with that can vouch for you as a peer in a professional setting and one or two that know you outside of work that can tell about your strength of character.

This is where I'm at.

[mellymel]

Updated OP to solicit new opinions!

[ddi741]

Wow, I've never actually seen reference questions.
I can say that other than my H, I don't think any of my friends would have any idea what it is I really do for a living (hell I'm not so sure the non local ones know where I work) so I would have to go with co-workers. Although coworkers more than likely wouldn't know my background other than work related. I'd go with previous co-workers but again, they may not know where I'm currently working.

I would expect whomever I put, to have to follow up with me in order to answer some of those questions.

[laurensmomma]

I still think option 1 was right. They are assuming you'd use close personal friends, I guess. Which, is still weird to me, in and of itself.

[orangeblossom]

Unless, this were seem type of clearance-type job, I would be annoyed at their parameters for references, and I would feel bad for the person serving as a reference.

I would pick number one regardless of additional info given.

One of my last jobs, gave my references the third degree. All of them mentioned it, and said it was uncomfortable and unnerving. That should have been my first sign to run. There were other hiring issues, I should have given more thought to in my final decision.

I'm not saying this is the case here, and maybe this is just the what's asked of references these days.

[Deleted]

Hmm. I would guess 1. Personally I would probably put coworkers who are friends as references, though. I think a close non-work friend is not much more objective than a relative, and also would have no idea what I'm like at work.

But I think whoever asked the question should have been more clear Good luck with the position!

[mellymel]

Another update: Option 1 was correct. And now I'm cleared - the job is mine!

Thanks for all the responses.

[orangeblossom]

Sept 30, 2014 12:12:31 GMT -5 mellymel said:

Another update: Option 1 was correct. And now I'm cleared - the job is mine!

Thanks for all the responses.

Congrats!