Do You Need To Include References On Resume

Who Should You Ask To Be Your Reference

Consider asking your colleagues and supervisors both from your previous work history and present to be your references. This allows the hiring manager to discover more about you, your work ethic, and your personality. If you’re in a field that appreciates more experience and expertise or are a recent graduate with little professional work experience, consider asking your academic advisor or professors to be your reference. These professionals can also attest to your skill level and work ethic.

For some positions, employers may be interested in a character reference as well. You can ask past colleagues, supervisors, or professors for these, but you also might consider listing your close friends if you don’t have extensive work experience. Listing friends allows them to provide detailed examples to prove your character traits.

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How To List Professional References On A Resume

If you have decided to include a reference section of resume, read on about how to list references on a resume.

Best idea is to include the references in a separate page. This reference page for resume should be attached after the resume.

This is very helpful as the recruiter can skip this part if he wants to. This does not waste his time. And time is money!

There is a set format for the resume references. It is important that this reference page for resume does not look superficial to the employer.

Following format must be kept in mind while writing resume references:

First Name & Last Name

Some quick checks:

• Use a dedicated references page for resume at the end of your resume.
• The format of your references page for resume should be consistent. This means that you should include same set of information for each of your references in the list.
• The design should be same as your cover letter or resume. This makes sure that your references do not look abrupt.

What Are Cv References

CV references are people whose contact information you give to recruiting professionals so that they can vouch for your character, skills, and work performance.

Recruiters like to use your references to double-check what youve written on your CV, as many candidates actually lie on their applications. In fact, 85% of employers say they have caught applicants lying on their CVs.

If you provide references in your CV, the recruiters will either call or email them and request information about you, such as:

• What is their relationship to you?
• Are you a good employee?
• Why are you no longer working for them?
• What are your defining characteristics such as abilities, work ethics, interpersonal skills, punctuality, etc?
• Will you be a good fit for the job you are applying for?

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Should I Have Personal Or Professional References On My Resume

A professional reference attests to your professionalism and past achievements. As a rule of thumb, most hiring managers would prefer to receive a set of professional references or letters of recommendation since an attestation from a professional contact provides more insight into the applicants core competencies and workplace behaviors. This is why it is generally better to use professional references on your resume.

However, you may use personal references if you dont have enough work experience or want a reference to validate your character and work ethic. Personal references are perfectly acceptable for students, entry-level workers, volunteers, or professionals in the service industry.

Should You Put References On A Resume

References are a list of contacts you give to employers to share information about you and your work history. Though you may think of references as another piece of helpful information to provide to employers along with your application, it’s best practice to leave references off your resume. If you’re interested in learning more about how to include your references during the hiring process, it may be helpful for you to consider when and where to list references. In this article, we explain what references are and address frequently asked questions such as, “should you put references on a resume?”

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Read The Application Instructions

Read the application instructions carefully, as the employer likely mentions references. If not, you don’t need to provide them on your resume or in your cover letter. The application instructions also may have important information about other aspects of your resume and references, like the format your resume should be and how many references the hiring manager may want you to have.

How To List References On Resume

Your resume references arent the deciding factor for whether or not you land your next job position. That being said, there are right and wrong ways for listing your references on a resume.

In the case you want to include references, they should only be on the second page of your resume. Otherwise, as mentioned, completely omit them from your application in the first place.

So, what should the resume references section look like?

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Decide How To Send Your Reference List

The only time you should send your reference list with your resume is if the job posting explicitly requests references with the application. Otherwise, wait until a recruiter or hiring manager makes the request. Save space on your resume by removing references available upon requestrecruiters will request this list if and when they need it during the hiring process. If youre looking for additional guidance while creating your resume, review Indeeds list of resume samples.

Create A Specific Reference Page Instead

Now that you have had the interview and obviously made it to the final two or three candidates , the hiring manager may request references. You will want to be prepared so that you can immediately give them what they need to make the hiring decision. If you make them wait a day or two while you scramble to get something together, you may lose your opportunity. Time is precious.

Before you begin a job hunt, gather your references and list them on a Professional Reference Page rather than directly on your resume. Choose professional references such as previous managers, professors, or former colleagues. A hiring manager does not want to hear how great you are from a friend or family member. Remember to include the references name, position title, phone number, and email address. Make sure to get permission from each reference prior to handing over their information.

Whether youre new to the workforce or an experienced professional, JobHero is here to help you make the most of your career. Come to us for thousands of resume samples, job-specific cover letter samples and many more helpful career resources.

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How Do I Ask Someone To Be A Reference

The key here is to always make sure you ask someone if you can list them as a job reference, and check in each time you list them. Ensure they are comfortable accepting the role of being a reference.

Even if you asked them a while ago but are getting back into job searching again, give them a heads up youre searching again and they may be hearing from someone soon.

A good way to ask someone to be a reference is either by calling them or sending an email. Ask if they think they know you and/or your work well enough to speak about it, and if they feel comfortable doing so. Or, you could ask them if they feel comfortable giving a positive reference. By asking ahead of time, you give them the opportunity to turn it down if they dont believe they can or dont have the time to speak to someone.

Be sure to thank the person in advance for taking the time to talk to a potential employer, and update them on your job status if you get hired. You may also want to ask if they can remain a reference for you in the future should you ever need one. Again, dont forget to let them know each time you start up your search and list them so theyre aware they may be contacted.

How To Format A References Section On A Resume

Formatting a reference section will ultimately depend on if it is being created within a larger resume or separately on a different page.

For on-resume reference sections, it is important to keep them as short as possible, potentially even excluding some of the basic information.

If you are including references directly on a resume, you will likely only want to include one or two of your most relevant and impressive ones in order to not take up too much space.

When making a separate page for references, you can simply stack them as you would jobs in a work experience section, placing emphasis on relevance in how the references are ordered.

The Basic Reference Format:

• Position or Title
• Company or University of Employment
• Company or University Address
• Company or University Phone number
• Company or University Email Address

It is important when writing out your references that you do not include personal information about the reference, such as a personal cellphone number or email, without their explicit permission.

It is best to just air on the side of caution and only include official and public contact information.

There is, of course, optional additional information you may want or choose to include within a reference.

This can include:

As for formatting the rest of your resume, donât forget to check out our other guides in this series including How to Write the Perfect Resume in 2021 and How to Choose the Correct Resume Format in 2021!

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Words Phrases And Formatting

Do not label your resume with the word “resume.” One look at your resume, and the employer should know what type of document it is. Also, don’t use “resume” as the filename when you save the file. Use your name, so the hiring manager will know whose resume it is at a glance. For example, JaneDolanResume.docx or JaneDolanResume.pdf.

Some people make the mistake of dating their resumes. The employer does not need to know when you wrote your resume the dates you include regarding past education and employment are the only dates you need to have.

The rule of thumb for what not to include is, When in doubt, leave it out.

Avoid saying what you did not do or have not yet accomplished focus instead on what you have done or are in the process of achieving. For example, if you are still in college, do not say “not yet graduated,” but instead list the year you will graduate. If you didn’t graduate, list the dates you attended.

Instead of saying that you have “limited experience” in administrative work, provide examples of your previous experience.

You may hear that you should give an objective statement that states what you are seeking in a job. This is outdated advice: instead, write a career summary, profile or branding statement highlighting what you can offer the employer.

Who To Ask For References If Youre A Student Or A Fresh Graduate

• Teachers and professors.They can testify to your class participation, performance in your school projects or how well you can work in a team.
• Coaches and leaders. They can endorse you for your leadership skills or the ability to work with others.
• Contacts from your volunteer work. They can endorse you for your willingness to help the community, motivation and skills. Plus, volunteering is almost always impressive.
• Employer from your part-time job or internship. Even if you stayed in your job only a few months, your previous employer can speak best about your work ethic.

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Will They Agree To Be My Reference Or Should I Ask Them First

And humans forget to ask the permission of our references before listing them.

Do not just list down names on your references. It is polite to ask first!

The rule of thumb is to ask permission of the person listed in the references first.

You can send them an email or call them. To do this, you can note this information from their professional LinkedIn ids.

If they grant you the permission, only then you should list them.

Do not worry! They are not cruel at all!

This helps you save your ass in case your employer calls them for verification. Now, they will know before hand.

Also you can make sure their contact information is correct.

When your job profile is closed or you get the job, you can thank them.

Drop in a polite email. If they are a bit close to you, you can also invite them to dinner.

Quick Tip: Provide them with the copy of your resume before hand. This helps them get familiar with your job profile and praise you if needed!

Create A Separate Reference List Document

If you are prompted to send references, create a separate reference list document to send with your . Format the document similarly to your resume , but keep it simple with key contact information for your references. Again, refer to the job description for any key information the employer is asking you to include. In general, these are the details they may ask for:

• Full Name

• Phone

• Email

• A summary of your relationship to this person.

Image description

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Should References Be Listed On A Separate Page

Yes, references should be listed on a separate page. Create a resume references page and add it as the last page of your resume, which allows you to include important contact information about your references. It is better to follow this format than to write references available upon request at the end of your resume since employers assume youll provide references if asked.

How To Include References In My Cv

If you have decided to include references on your CV after all, heres how you should do it:

The first step to writing CV references is always to ask for permission. It isnt good etiquette to give away someones contact information without first checking if they are ok with it. Besides, you probably wont be getting the best character appraisal if your reference is caught off-guard.

After this, you can get to the formatting.

Here are the steps you should follow to properly format your references:

You can use the following template to help you write your reference list:

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When Listing References On A Resume:

If you are applying to a job where the job ad specifically requests your references be listed on your resume itself, you will want to add just the basics in order to save space.

The best way to format these references is as follows:

• The reference’s name their professional title and the company name.
• The reference’s email address.
• The reference’s phone number.

Add a heading, such as “references” or “professional references”. To further save space, you can use two columns to list your references.

First Let Your References Know That Youre Applying For Jobs

You should always make contact with the person youd like to use as a reference before you list them as a reference. This helps them know what to expect when the employer calls them. Provide them with as much information as you can about the job and let them know about any key skills or achievements they might include when speaking with the hiring manager.

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How To Include References On A Resume

This article was co-authored by Adrian Klaphaak, CPCC. Adrian Klaphaak is a career coach and founder of A Path That Fits, a mindfulness-based boutique career and life coaching company in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also is an accredited Co-Active Professional Coach . Klaphaak has used his training with the Coaches Training Institute, Hakomi Somatic Psychology and Internal Family Systems Therapy to help thousands of people build successful careers and live more purposeful lives. This article has been viewed 3,553,822 times.

Many potential employers ask for a list of references in a job application or at the end of a job interview. Thats why its a good idea to have a list of references handy when youre applying for a new job.

When Should You Include References On A Resume

The short answer is: never. References on your resume take up valuable space. Whether your resume is one page or two pages , itâs important to use that space to promote your qualifications. Moreover, considering that each job attracts more than 100 applicants and only 2 percent of applicants will be called to interview, itâs best to keep your referencesâ contact information private until youâre asked to share it.

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What Not To Include In A Reference On A Resume

We have already covered the basics of what to include and how to format a basic reference â but what kind of information should be excluded from a reference on a resume.

Here is a quick breakdown of what kinds of information should be excluded from a reference:

• Any personal information
• Lengthy descriptions of your relationship to the reference
• Personal anecdotes or other non-essential information
• Too many references from the same company or employer

You ultimately want to provide concise references that are easy to ready quickly and clearly show why that person has been included as a reference.

Take a look at these two examples on correcting reference errors:

When including additional information, keep it to one line or less of the most relevant information.

Additionally, keep additional specific and donât use vague wording such as âseveral years.â

Incorrect:

When making your list of references you plan of including, it is important to not include too many from the same company.

You should only really include two references from the same company if each reference witnessed different skills or accomplishments of yours that the other did not.

Incorrect:

You worked at a corporate company in the communications department as a copywriter, and you have worked with both junior and senior level copywriters who you have included as references.

Correct: