research assistant job references

[sundays24]

the research assistant gap year job i applied to and interviewed for asked for references, but i don't have anyone that i'd be comfortable asking at the moment... i mean, i can get rec letters, but the PI wants phone numbers. i'm assuming he's asking for them bc my interview was kind of lukewarm.

what should i do? should i tell the PI i don't have any references? should i just pass up on this opportunity, or do jobs like these usually ask for references? i've applied to a handful within the past 2 weeks but this is the only interview i've received so far.

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[blackroses]

Almost any job you apply to will require references. You'd be hard-pressed to find a job that won't require them. Not having references is quite concerning - you don't have a boss you used to work for? Professors who can vouch for you? Anything?

 

[JoaoMoutinho]

the research assistant gap year job i applied to and interviewed for asked for references, but i don't have anyone that i'd be comfortable asking at the moment... i mean, i can get rec letters, but the PI wants phone numbers. i'm assuming he's asking for them bc my interview was kind of lukewarm.

what should i do? should i tell the PI i don't have any references? should i just pass up on this opportunity, or do jobs like these usually ask for references? i've applied to a handful within the past 2 weeks but this is the only interview i've received so far.

References are standard for pretty much any job application, and I've even had to put them on rental applications for apartments. From my experience giving someone's phone number as a reference is much less formal than a letter of recommendation. The PI just wants to make sure that there is somebody that you know that can vouch for you. If you already have people who are comfortable writing you letters of recommendation for medical school, then you should be able to take a few seconds and ask them if it's ok for you to put them as a reference on a job application. I would be really surprised if they objected at all.

 

[aldol16]

You should never tell people that you don't have any references unless you're a 16 year old kid who's trying to get his or her first job at McDonald's. Is there a reason you're not comfortable asking anybody to serve as your reference? Since it's a research job, you could ask any professor or mentor who can speak to your academic abilities. It's much less time-intensive than a letter of recommendation because at most, they'll just get a call asking about you.

 

[sundays24]

a lot of the activities i've done do not have much supervision. like volunteering at a hospital or having an executive position in a club. my supervisor doesn't know me personally and would only be able to talk about my attendance. my professors can speak to my academic ability but not much else. im also doing research at a diff lab right now but they don't know im looking for another position so i can't ask them

 

[aldol16]

a lot of the activities i've done do not have much supervision. like volunteering at a hospital or having an executive position in a club. my supervisor doesn't know me personally and would only be able to talk about my attendance. my professors can speak to my academic ability but not much else. im also doing research at a diff lab right now but they don't know im looking for another position so i can't ask them

For this particular position, they're most likely to care about academic ability. It's a research job.