Like with most legal jargon, “employment at will” has both a formal definition and a practical one. In this case, the theory is easy. The basic definition of “employment at will” says the employer or the employee may end the working relationship at any time and for any reason without fearing legal action. This means the employer can fire or lay off the employee whenever they want. According to the theory, the employers do not have to explain why they fired their worker.

This definition also claims the employee may choose to quit his or her job at any time. Under such circumstances, the worker does not have to give the employer the reason for leaving his or her current position.

On its face, this is a simple law that should work for both the employer and the employee. Unfortunately in practice, “employment at will” is not so clear. While most states follow the formal definition, many lower courts have passed laws to cancel the employer’s rights. All of these laws have created many exceptions to the formal definition, and employers must keep this in mind if they need to fire someone.

As a graduating college student you already know you’re immediate future could be tense. The odds of getting hired straight out of college aren’t nearly as high as they were ten years ago. The odds of getting a job which pays enough to cover your daily living expenses, as well as your student loans will prove even more difficult. When you’re getting ready to start applying for post-college jobs, you can’t afford to be blas about your employment reference letter. It doesn’t matter if you’re asking someone to write a letter for you, or if you’ve been asked to write a letter of recommendation for someone else, you need to make sure it’s the best letter possible.

When it comes to getting your first professional job after leaving college, you need to take care when selecting just who will be writing the letter. Even though your buddies love you, and will be more than willing to provide you outstanding recommendations, the really aren’t the ones you should be going to. Future employers won’t just be interested in the information contained in the employment reference letter, they will also be very interested in the person who penned the letter. The more respect they have for the employment reference letter’s author, the more weight they will give the reference, and the better your odds of landing the job.

Presumably you’re applying for a job in the same field you have jut finished studying. As long as this is the case, you should talk to some of your professors about providing you with good employment reference letter. Most college professors consider this to be part of their job. You will do best when you pick a professor you’ve not only worked closely with during the time you’ve been in the university, but you should also pick one that has strong connections in the field. The more respected the professor is, the better your chances of getting the job.