References on a Resume: When to Include Them, Who to Ask and How to Format a Reference Sheet

Should you put references on your resume?

Almost never on the resume itself. Use the rule below: what the employer asks for decides where your references go. The posting says nothing about references: leave them off, and leave off the line "References available upon request" too. Employers assume you will provide references if asked, so the line uses space and says nothing. The posting asks you to include references with your application: do exactly what it says. If there is a separate upload slot, upload your reference sheet there. If there is only one upload, add the reference sheet as the last page of the same PDF, after your resume, rather than squeezing names into the resume. The application form has reference fields: fill in the form. Many online applications, including many school district and public-sector applications, collect references directly, which is one reason our teacher resume template leaves them out. A recruiter or hiring manager asks for references: send your reference sheet within a day, and tell each reference to expect a call.

8 examples across 3 groups

Why references do not belong on the resume itself

Space. On a one- or two-page resume, four lines per reference costs you room you need for results. Our guide to how long a resume should be lists "References available upon request" among the things to cut. Timing. Employers usually check references late in the process, after interviews, when they are close to an offer. Nobody needs your references to decide whether to screen you. Your references' privacy. A resume gets sent widely and stored in applicant tracking systems and job board databases. Your former manager's cell number does not need to be in every one of them. Sending a reference sheet only on request also means you know which employer might call, so you can warn your references. Control. When the sheet goes out late, you can pick the references that fit each job. A former manager from a sales role is the right reference for a sales job and a weaker one for an operations job.

Who to choose as a reference

A good reference has seen your work up close, recently, and can describe it with specifics. Seniority and job title matter much less than that. A team lead who managed you every day is a better reference than a vice president who met you twice. Aim for a mix. If you can, include at least one person who managed you, because hiring managers want to hear from someone who assigned you work and judged the result. Then add people who saw a different side of your work: a peer, a client, or someone you managed if you are applying for a management role. Use the list below roughly in order of strength for most experienced candidates. Students and early-career applicants can lean on the academic and volunteer options.

13 examples across 4 groups

How many references to have ready

Have three ready, and five if you can. Three is a common request, and university career and HR guides, such as those from UC Davis Human Resources and the University of Cincinnati, recommend three to five. Five gives you room to choose the best fit for each job, or to replace someone who is traveling or slow to respond. If an employer names a number, send exactly that many. Sending seven when they asked for three looks like you did not read the request.

How to format a reference sheet

A reference sheet is a single page that looks like it belongs with your resume. Use the same header, with your name and contact details, and the same font. Then list each reference with these five pieces of information: 1. Full name 2. Current job title and employer. Use their current title, even if it differs from when you worked together. 3. Phone number and email address. Use whichever phone number and email they asked you to give out. 4. How you know them, in one line, including when: "My direct manager at Brightline Logistics, 2021–2024." 5. Optional: one line on what they can speak to, such as "Can speak to the warehouse system rollout and my work with carrier partners." This helps when the person calling has a specific question. Put the most relevant reference first, which is usually your most recent manager. Title the page "References" and save it as a PDF. A sample header and three sample entries are under Example phrases further down this page: two from one experienced candidate's sheet and one for a new graduate's sheet.

How to ask, and how to brief your references

Always ask before you list someone. A reference who is surprised by a call gives a vague, careful answer. A short message works: "I am applying for operations manager roles and would value you as a reference, since you saw my work on the warehouse rollout at Brightline. Would you be comfortable with that? If so, which phone number and email should I share?" Give them an easy way to say no. A reluctant reference is worse than none. Once an employer asks for your references, send each one a short brief. This is the step that makes a reference useful: The role and company, with a link to the job posting. Two or three things you hope they can mention, tied to the posting. If the job emphasizes vendor management, remind them of the carrier contracts you renegotiated. The facts they might be asked to confirm: your job title, dates you worked together and what you were responsible for. Who will call and roughly when, if you know. Attach your current resume. Afterward, thank them and tell them how it turned out. You will probably need them again.

Hard cases: current job, a manager who left, a bad exit, no experience, a career gap

Your current employer does not know you are looking. Use former managers and colleagues instead, and say so plainly if asked: "My current manager is not aware of my search, so I would like to hold that reference until we are at the offer stage." Your best manager has left the company. They are still a valid reference. Put their current title and employer on the title line, and let the relationship line explain the connection: "My direct manager at Brightline Logistics, 2021–2024." The Maria Alvarez entry under Example phrases shows the full format. A job ended badly or you were let go. You do not have to list anyone from that employer. Choose people from other jobs, or a colleague from that job who saw your work and left on good terms. What a former employer can say. Many companies route reference calls to HR and only confirm dates of employment and job title, sometimes pay, a practice known as a neutral reference policy. That is a company choice, though, not a legal rule. Illinois Legal Aid Online, for example, notes that an employer there may share truthful, job-related negative information, including that you were fired. If you are unsure what a former employer will say, ask its HR department about its reference policy. You have no work experience. Internship supervisors, professors, academic advisors, volunteer coordinators, coaches and managers from part-time or summer jobs all count. What matters is that they have seen you take on responsibility and follow through. You are returning after a career gap. Pre-gap managers are still good references, especially if you stayed in touch. Add someone from recent volunteer, freelance or community work to show what you have done lately. Our stay-at-home mom resume guide covers how to present that recent work on the resume itself.

What happens during a reference check

Reference checks usually come near the end of the process, once an employer is seriously considering an offer. Some hiring managers call themselves; some companies use HR, a recruiter or an outside service. The calls tend to cover the same ground: confirming your title, dates and responsibilities, asking about your strengths and areas to develop, how you worked with others, and sometimes whether they would hire you again. A reference you have briefed can answer those questions with examples instead of adjectives. If an employer hires an outside company to contact your references, US federal law can apply. FTC staff have said, in a published advisory opinion, that reference checks done by such a company are likely to be investigative consumer reports under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. In that case, the law requires the employer to tell you in writing, within three days of requesting the report, that such a report may be made, and you have the right to ask, in writing, about its nature and scope. This notice often arrives along with other background-check paperwork, so read everything before you sign it.

References come last, the resume comes first

References matter only once your resume and interviews have done their job. The application that gets that far is usually the one tailored to the posting, with the posting's priorities visible in your summary, your skills section and your most recent role. If you would rather not compare every posting with your resume by hand, ATSOptimized compares your resume with the job description, shows which relevant terms are missing, and rewrites your existing experience to match, without adding anything you did not do. You can get started for free, and no credit card is required.