Professional referees are people who can provide future employers an insight on your previous work roles, character and work ethic. Often previous behaviour is a good indicator of future behaviour.

Employers always complete a reference check as the final stage of the recruitment process. So it’s very important to think carefully about who to list as your referees.

Here is a list of great references for your resume to land you that job:

1. Former employers

Former employers can provide one of the strongest references, as they can run into detail about your previous role’s responsibilities, your work ethic and how you fit into the company.

They also don’t need to be your previous employer. Just keep in mind to keep it recent. If you haven’t been in touch with a former employer for a while, and there’s a chance they don’t remember you – keep them off the list.

If you also didn’t leave on good terms, it’s not a great idea to include them either.

2. Colleagues

Colleagues make great referees as they are likely to interact with you more frequently than the big boss. They could also attest to your character and how you worked as a team. So think about asking a colleague who you worked closely with and on the same projects.

3. Teachers or Professors

Teachers can give points to a very strong referee, especially if they are in the field that you’re applying for. They can attest to your understanding of the hard, technical skills which can give weight to you performing the job.

Similarly to a former employer, don’t ask a lecturer who you see 1 hour a week in a lecture of 400. Chances are, they don’t know who you are. Think smaller scale with tutors or professors who you have worked closely with.

4. Supervisors

Similarly to a former employer, supervisors can give strong references as they are clear about your job responsibilities and performance. Generally for larger companies, this is the best work referee to include.

5. Clients

Clients are great referees, especially if you are self-employed or included freelancing jobs in your resume. Clients can elaborate on your results, as well problem solving skills, reliability, professionalism and customer service.

Who can be my reference if it’s my first real job? This is very common for many people, so don’t worry! Think about who can give you a positive and professional character reference.

Consider asking:

• Teachers
• Coach
• Year advisor
• Leaders of volunteer or community work
• Parents of students (if you did tutoring)
• Family members, only if you have done work for them (think regular and paid work)

How many referees should I have?

This often depends on the level of role you’re applying for. If you have been in the workforce for a while, and applying for senior roles, you’re probably expected to have 3-4 referees. But if you’re just starting out, most employers would only expect 1-2 referees.

How should I ask people to be my referee?

It’s very good etiquette to let the person know you have added them as a referee. It’s important to make sure you still have correct contact details and that they are available for a reference check (and not on holidays!).

A quick email or call to say hello to let them know you are applying for jobs is ideal.

If you can, letting your referees know what roles you’re applying for, helps them be more prepared when they get the call. At the end of the day, you want them to be as prepared as you are, so they can give you the best reference as possible.

If you do land the job – it’s also a nice gesture to get a small gift like chocolates to show your gratitude and this will help for future reference checks.

How do I add referees to my resume?

It has become more common practice to leave these off your resume, and add “Referees available upon request.”

However, read the job ad description carefully. If it does require referees, add them in the Referees section.

How To Resume makes adding referees really easy as there’s a hide or reveal function. This means you can add the referees and if the job doesn’t need them, hide them! If you do need referees, just switch it to reveal. Get started now.