Keeping references sweet. How do you...

[BusterEngman]

With short term contracts, I'm guessing you re-use the same people for references over the space of a couple of years, until you build up more recent names.

Do you do anything beyond a thank you email to keep them sweet and happy to handle future references? I was thinking about sending a bottle of something to one of my references, as he gave me a really good reference for my first contract, and I might need him again in a few months. How would this go down? Is it unusual or common? Is a thank you email sufficient?

[MarillionFan]

£50 notes in a brown envelope works for me.

I give a glowing reference if there's enough of them.

I find the gift of 'pass it on' enough. SimonMac got the wrong idea of this though when he caught syphalis.

[woohoo]

With short term contracts, I'm guessing you re-use the same people for references over the space of a couple of years, until you build up more recent names.

Do you do anything beyond a thank you email to keep them sweet and happy to handle future references? I was thinking about sending a bottle of something to one of my references, as he gave me a really good reference for my first contract, and I might need him again in a few months. How would this go down? Is it unusual or common? Is a thank you email sufficient?

I tend to drive by their house late at night, then knock on the door and say "I still know where you live". I've yet to receive a bad reference.

[BrilloPad]

I find the gift of 'pass it on' enough. SimonMac got the wrong idea of this though when he caught syphalis.

He should have waited until eek finished the course of antibiotics.

Personally I throw a really big leaving do with free drinks all night. Doesn't work out as expensive as it sounds. Goes down very well.