I’ve applied for jobs a few times and this has always been a problem. Now that I’ve been out of college for a while it’s even more of a problem. I don’t have anyone from college that would even remember me. I can’t use my current coworkers because I don’t want my current employer to know I’m leaving until I have a new job lined up. I don’t keep in touch with old coworkers. I don’t do anything outside of work as far as volunteering or anything. I know I’m not supposed to use friends or family. Who is even left after that? The only people I have the contact info for are friends, family, and my current boss.
Not to mention worthless. Most references can’t say shit.
And when they are, they might not be believable. My husband was once called as a previous supervisor and he was like “oh yeah that guy, we haven’t spoken in years but he saved my life once so I got nothing but good things to say about him” and like… no way the recruiter doesn’t think that’s a plant.