Asking for a reference can be a scary task. For many people, it is not a comfortable experience asking others to say nice things about them; but, it has to been done knowing that you will be asked for references during your interviews. So, here are some tips for approaching your potential references. After calling your potential reference and catching up, tell him/her that you recently applied for a job. Explain the job, what the job entails, and a little about the company. Next, let your potential reference know that you will be interviewing for the position soon. Note specifically what skills, attributes, and qualifications were stated in the job posting that you believe you possess. Discuss these assets with the potential reference, and then ask them if they think they know you well enough to be a reference for you and positively speak to your assets. If s/he seems to pause, or rather not respond with an enthusiastic Yes immediately, you may want to consider asking someone else. Most importantly, you want to ensure that whoever you offer as your reference is going to speak positively about you. You have no idea how many times HR managers call references and find that the reference does not even remember the individual, or the reference speaks poorly of the applicant. Yikes! Your job as the job seeker is to ensure your reputation is not tarnished because of a mediocre or poor reference.