Can job references play an active role in shaping one's career plans? Would individuals consider their references as part of their personal and professional network? Although most professionals may respond with a resounding "Yes, of course!" to these questions, the author realized that many of his students were skeptical about job references. To counter this, and to help improve their chances in the job market, the author designed a multistep assignment that expanded students' understanding of job references and required them to identify persons who were potential job references and members of their career network. This article provides the details for the assignment.