Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR ...

Job references are important for the employer and the potential employee. Employers typically use references to make hiring decisions and a lack of them can hurt your chances of getting a position. It ...

When you apply for a new job, you need a polished resume, a perfected cover letter, and a list of job references who you trust to speak to a potential employer. Some employers may ask for references ...

What should I do if I don’t want to be someone’s reference? If you don’t have anything nice to say, your best bet is to avoid hurting someone’s future employment chances. A job seeker’s guide to ...