References (aka. professional references) are people who will be contacted by employers who are considering whether or not they should hire you. References should be able to vouch for your overall character and work ethic, as well as your qualifications. Employers will be most assured by the opinions of other employers.

Get permission to include people’s name and contact information in a reference sheet, before you submit their information to an employer.

• Past or current supervisors (employment, volunteer work, clubs, sports, etc.) are the best references. Employers will trust their report about you over others.
• Co-workers can be listed as a reference, but a prospective employer might not respect their opinion about you.
• Teachers/professors are inherently biased in favor of their students, so their opinion about you may or may not matter to prospective employers – especially if you only took classes with them.
• Family members or friends are inherently biased in your favor, so in almost all cases, they should not be listed as a reference.

An informal recommendation from someone who knows both you and the employer can be very influential. Most jobs are actually found through networking—rather than by applying to a company where you have no personal connection. Therefore, ask members of your network to put in a good word for you, if/when they can.

Note: References are not the same as Letters of Recommendation.

As mentioned previously, References are especially critical for those who have no or very limited employment history – in general or within a given field.

Having multiple references to choose from will make it possible for you to provide prospective employers with references who are especially relevant to the job you are applying for.

To procure one or more good professional references from each work experience (paid or unpaid), do everything in your power to meet your employer’s / supervisor’s expectations: work hard, show up on time, perform well, behave respectfully, provide ample notice (2-week minimum) before leaving a position, etc.

Set yourself up for success by generating a list of potential and confirmed professional references – including their full name, title, and contact information.

• Reference Sheet Template
• How to Write a Resume Reference List/Examples

Write down all of the relevant information you have at this time.

Get permission from individuals before you use them as a professional reference.

If you ask and they don’t appear to be enthusiastic about helping you in this way, either:

1. Check in with them to see if you there are any past misunderstandings or conflicts that can be resolved (OR)
2. Don’t include them as a reference when applying for jobs.

Your references need to give future employers a great impression about who you are as a worker and person.

Each time you re-engage in the job search process, reconnect with past references to make sure they are still willing to serve as a reference.  When you get a job, update them and thank them again.  Also, offer to give back in some way, if at all possible.

When you are granted permission to list a person as a professional reference in online job applications or your reference sheet, confirm the following information:

• Spelling of First and Last Name
• Current Professional Title
• Current Place of Employment
• Current Workplace Postal Address
• Preferred Email Address (Work or Personal)
• Preferred Phone Number (Work or Personal)

Don’t lose the ability to contact your references: Even one someone who has agreed to serve as a reference wants employers to use their work phone number or email address to contact them, ask if you can have their personal phone number and email address on file. That way, if they change jobs, you will still have a way to confirm their contact information for future job applications.

Having multiple references to choose from will make it possible for you to provide prospective employers with references who are especially relevant to the job you are applying for.  Additionally, if any of your references can no longer be contacted, you will have others to include in your job applications. Ask people to serve as references on an ongoing basis and add these contacts to your “catch-all” Reference Sheet.

• Reference Sheet Template
• How to Write a Resume Reference List/Examples

Considering that you need strong references in order to get a job, these people and their recommendations are priceless.

Whether this is your first job search or a new job search, the following best practices are recommended:

• Confirm that your references’ contact information is up to date;
• Brief your references about your current job search goals and prospects;
• Provide references with any information or support they need in order to do well by you;
• Express your gratitude;
• Send them a thank you note and share your excitement, when you secure a new position.

Each time you re-engage in the job search process, reconnect with past references to make sure they are still willing to serve as a reference, if you want them to.

When you contact a reference or promise to follow up in any way, make sure you have a reliable system for remembering this information and following through accordingly.

As mentioned previously, you can’t get a job without them.  Professional references are usually provided within applications or submitted to employers as a reference sheet before or after being interviewed for a position. If you do not provide employers with the number of references they requested, it is extremely likely that you will be eliminated from the hiring pool.

If the employer is interested in hiring you, they will call two or more of your references to help them determine whether or not you would be a responsible, diligent, and capable worker as well as a good “fit” for their business.

References are especially critical for those who have no or very limited employment history – in general or within a given field.