How to list references on your resume

Including resume references in a job application is a traditional part of the hiring process. It’s usually a list of three or four people who can personally vouch for your skills and achievements. Knowing how to put references on a resume used to be standard for any job seeker, but are they still relevant?

In this guide, we’ll explain when to include references, when to leave them off, and how to list them in a way that aligns with modern hiring processes.

Why do employers ask for references?

Employers ask for references so they can verify information you’ve given them on your resume or during an interview. Checking your references allows them to confirm that you did indeed work for an organization in a particular role, and that your stated achievements are legitimate.

Additionally, your references can offer an unbiased third-party perspective on your skills and performance. When this perspective aligns with how you’ve represented yourself during the hiring process, it fosters a sense of trust.

Finally, references can help hiring managers assess whether you’re a good cultural fit. Previous supervisors can attest to everything from your work ethic to your interpersonal skills and values.

Ensuring that a candidate is both a solid performer and a sensible cultural fit can help hiring managers have confidence in their decision and mitigate hiring risks.

Are references on a resume a good idea?

While adding references to a resume was once common, it’s now more typical to provide them in a separate document when requested by the employer.

Most experts advise against putting references on your resume for the following reasons:

• It takes up valuable space that could be used to detail your professional accomplishments and skills more deeply
• Hiring managers receive such a large volume of applications, and there’s no way for them to call the references for hundreds of applications
• Many applicant-tracking systems (ATS) automatically send messages to references, and if they don’t respond, your resume may get held up and never sent to recruiters

Licia Dewing, career strategist, says there’s another vital reason to exclude references. Your references are trusted connections — colleagues, managers, professors — and it’s more respectful to them when you’re careful about who you give their information to.

Usually, recruiters won’t need your references right away. If they’re interested in proceeding to the next steps, they may request references from you after the initial phone screening.

This means that we also recommend that you refrain from putting “References available upon request” on your resume. If they want them, they’ll ask you.

Are you supposed to put preferences on a resume?

Whether you’re expected to put preferences on a resume will vary according to your industry and location. In the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K., you can skip putting references on your resume and use that valuable space to highlight additional qualifications.

However, there are several countries and regions in which offering references up front is still commonplace.

For example, employers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland may expect you to provide your “Arbeitszeugnis,” which is a formal reference letter given to employees upon termination from previous jobs. This document details your history, performance, and conduct on the job. 

That being said, it’s advisable to include a references section on your curriculum vitae if you’re applying for roles in research or academia in the U.S. A CV is different from a resume in that it contains a complete history of your work and achievements, and institutions will use your reference information to verify that your accomplishments and skills are accurately represented.

How to list references on your resume (step-by-step guide)

Putting references on a resume used to be as easy as modifying resume examples and adding a separate section next to or under your work history or education section. However, listing references has become so uncommon that most resume templates don’t even have a section for them.

Instead of listing references on resumes, we’re going to build a separate reference page. This document should be separate from your resume and be ready to send to an employer upon their request. The steps to create this page are as follows:

1. Choose two to four strong references
2. Gather full details (name, title, company, contact info, relationship, etc.)
3. Format using the template
4. Order by most relevant or recent
5. Include only if space allows and relevant to the role

Why do employers ask for references?

Employers may ask for references for several reasons, including:

• Verifying your employment details
• Assessing the strength of your soft skills
• Checking to see whether you’re a cultural fit

Employers will generally contact references using the information and resources you’ve given them, so they’ll likely reach out by phone or email.

When doing so, they may confirm basic information, such as your role and dates of employment. This is typically done when the employer is in the background-check stage of the hiring process and is trying to narrow down their candidate pool.

Employers may also ask questions about your work style, skillset, and areas for improvement. Topics for discussion may include your ability to collaborate with a team, how you handle pressure, feedback, and conflict, and whether the past employer would rehire you. This information will eventually become highly valuable in the hiring process.

What hiring managers actually do with your references

If hiring managers have a few basic questions, they may opt to contact your references by email. If your candidacy requires a more nuanced or in-depth discussion, they may call them instead. During the conversation, they’ll validate information about your skills, character, and work style.

It’s important to prepare your references for this conversation to ensure they’re able to help you paint a cohesive picture of your qualifications. Make sure to align stories and descriptions of your skills and performance so that details will be consistent. You can also give them a copy of the job description and your resume so they understand what the hiring manager may ask about and can prepare comments, stories, or even praise in advance.

Typically, hiring managers want to know whether the information they’ve gleaned from your references aligns with how you’ve presented yourself and your qualifications in your resume and cover letter. They’ll use the information they receive to evaluate whether you’re truly the best candidate for the role.

How to create a separate reference list

A separate reference list is a preferable option to listing your references on your resume because it saves space, keeping your resume concise and focused solely on your qualifications. Here’s an example of how to create yours:

Who should you use as a reference?

Wondering who’s qualified to provide you with a professional reference? Here are five excellent choices to put on your list:

Former employers

Using your former employers as a reference makes it easy for the hiring manager to verify your work history and skills. However, this is only a good option for employees who left on good terms, as negative feedback could impact your candidacy.

Supervisors

Your former supervisors worked closely with you and can vouch for your skills, performance, and work style. In fact, not including a former supervisor can sometimes raise red flags about how well you work with others, particularly your superiors.

Make sure to choose a supervisor with whom you had a great working relationship to avoid the possibility of negative information being shared with your prospective employer.

Colleagues

Your colleagues can provide useful insight into your teamwork and collaboration skills. Even so, hiring managers are aware that only talking to colleagues can introduce potential bias, as they may feel pressured to give you a good reference or have a vested interest in you being hired.

Professors (for students)

Professors can speak to a student’s academic performance, knowledge, skills, and character, which is crucial in the absence of significant work history. This is only a good idea for recent graduates, as their knowledge will become outdated after some time.

Mentors/coaches

Mentors and coaches can go into depth about your work ethic, leadership skills, and growth. However, they usually can’t speak to your professional performance, so the value of their observations may be limited.

Bad examples of references to avoid

When crafting your reference list, make it a point not to include:

• Personal friends/family
• People who barely know your work
• Unwilling or unavailable references
• Outdated contacts

These references can introduce bias and may not be able to provide the kind of information hiring managers are looking for.

Dos and don’ts of listing references

Now, let’s go over the dos and don’ts of listing references. Think of this as a quick cheat sheet for you to glance at whenever you’re collecting references.

Key takeaways

Knowing whether and how to list references on your resume can be tricky. Here are some general rules to follow:

• Don’t put references directly on a resume unless required
• Keep two to four strong references ready
• Use a separate reference list template
• Always ask permission and prep references
• Tailor the reference list for the role you’re applying for

Need a resume that’s ready for the job market? Use the CVwizard resume builder to create a clean, customizable resume in just a few steps. You can then pair it with a professional reference list (and a cover letter based on one of our cover letter templates) to wow employers.

Sources:

(1) HR Dive: Managers rule out a third of candidates after reference checks