Into the Details: References

Employers can ask for references with your resume and cover letter, during an interview, or after an interview. But exactly what are they looking for when they request your references? In this post we’ll discuss do’s and don’t’s, tips for cultivating references, and how to be prepared when you are asked for them.

You should hold on to your list of references until they are requested; have them ready, but don’t offer them proactively.

Employers will usually ask for three references. Some will ask for more but that is kind of rare. It is best to have more than three to choose from, to be able to select the ones that would best represent you to a specific potential employer.

Your references should be a separate document from your resume and cover letter, with “References for [Your Name]” at the top and the info for each of the references below that.

For each reference, include their full name, along with current title, name of their employer, contact information, and one line of info about their relationship to you (for example: “My supervisor at XYZ, Inc.”). If the person is retired, list their former employer and put “(Retired)” after the title.

Supervisors are the strongest references; co-workers/colleagues can also serve as references, but it is best if at least one of your references is a current or former supervisor. Friends and family should not be listed as references.

If you have multiple short-term jobs, it is not a deal-breaker if you don’t have references from all of them, as long as you have strong references from 2 – 3 of your past jobs.

For students: a teacher or professor can serve as a reference until you acquire more work experience.

Don’t list anyone as a reference without their knowledge and enthusiastic consent, and let your references know if they are likely to be receiving a call from an employer about a job you’ve applied for. If someone says “No” or seems reluctant to be a reference for you, say “Thank you anyway” and ask someone else.

Remember that references are part of networking, and that a good networking relationship benefits both people over time. If any of your references are people you don’t see regularly, stay in touch with them.

If you’ve lost touch with people from past jobs who may be willing to be references for you, try to get back in touch with them. LinkedIn can be very useful for re-connecting with contacts from former jobs.

While you can’t dictate what references say about you to an employer, you can send your references a copy of your current resume and let them know what information you’d like the potential employer to focus on.

Know that employers can contact former workplaces and supervisors of yours even if they are not on your list of references. Having multiple strong, positive references can counteract a negative one.

When you’re preparing for an interview and you have not yet already provided references, bring a few copies with you on paper, and send the list to yourself via email so you can easily forward it to the interviewer, if that is their preference.

Remember that quitting a job on bad terms can leave you without strong references later, and that can make job hunting more difficult.

“References available upon request” no longer needs to be on your resume. It is understood  that you will provide references when asked for them.

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In addition to various options for Resume & Career Help from Brooklyn Public Library staff, BPL offers assistance via Brainfuse JobNow, which features live online coaches who assist in resume/cover letter preparation and help patrons prepare for job interviews. Brainfuse JobNow also offers supplemental content including templates, career assessment exams, and more. Live coaching from Brainfuse experts is available from 2:00 PM - 11:00 PM EST. Your Brooklyn Public Library card is needed to use this online resource.