You and your referees

We may seek information from people who are well placed to comment on how you meet the qualities and abilities.

The purpose of references is to provide the selection panel with information on the candidates' track record and transferable skills. These are considered alongside all other information, and the weight given to them depends not on the status of the author, but rather their knowledge of your qualities and abilities and the information they provide.

Please provide the name, title, position and address of your referees. If you do not wish us to contact a referee now, please give reasons and do not provide their address.

Candidate nominated referees
You are invited to nominate up to three referees who know you well either personally or professionally.  

You should choose referees who have direct knowledge of the professional or voluntary work you do. This can be someone you work for, with, or on behalf of. 

JAC nominated referees
In addition the JAC will also ask you to nominate specific referees. These will be identified in the section in your information pack titled 'JAC nominated referees'.

You may also tell us if you do not wish us to approach the relevant JAC nominated referee, but you must give reasons. If you have excluded your relevant JAC nominated referee, you must suggest an alternative referee who is familiar with your work. 

You and your referees
The selection panel will be interested in what referees say about the candidate, not who they are.

The value of references is the evidence they give. An assertion that, for example, you would "make an excellent candidate" is not particularly helpful. A reference which says the candidate analyses cases quickly and intelligently and identifies the important points in an argument will be helpful particularly if supported by an example. If you have been, for example, a school governor, and have dealt effectively with a very sensitive staff discipline issue, then the head teacher will be able to describe briefly how you achieved the right result.

You should always consider asking referees before you nominate them. It t is best to discuss the post you're applying for with the referee, so that they have a clear idea of what is needed. It may also be helpful to let them see a copy of your application form so that they know the qualities and abilities you need to demonstrate, and how you are intending to do that.

It may be helpful to remind your referees of the work you did together. If it is a judge you appeared before, you could send copies of skeleton arguments of the cases. If you are a solicitor naming a barrister you briefed, you could send copies of the instructions you gave.

Please do not give JAC nominated referees as your personal referees as this limits the information available to the selection panel.

When are references taken and how are they used?
If a paper sift is used for shortlisting, references are normally taken up before the sift and are used by the Panel in reaching their decision. If a qualifying test is used, references are normally taken up after the test but before the selection day.

Your references will be available to the Panel for the Selection Day and they will use them as part of their decision making process. The JAC employs a holistic approach to the selection process so that references are considered alongside and in conjunction with all the other information gathered about a candidate. The Commission will also have access to your references when they come to make their final selection decisions.

Conflict of interest
You should not nominate a JAC Commissioner as a referee. You should also state in the Application Form if you are in any way related to, or known to, any of the Commissioners and give details.

Referee Assessment Form
Your referees will be asked to complete the Referee Assessment Form - for ease of reference, this can be found on the page relating to the selection exercise to which you have applied.