Should I put references on my resume?

Your resume usually needs evidence of your work, not the contact details of people who can confirm it. Leave references out unless the application asks for them, and have an approved reference list ready for the next stage.

Why references usually belong somewhere else

A resume has a specific job: show why you’re worth interviewing. Skills, relevant experience and concrete achievements help it do that. A referee’s phone number doesn’t explain what you can deliver.

There’s also a privacy issue. Your resume may travel through application systems, recruitment agencies and hiring teams. Attaching someone else’s contact details to every copy gives those details a much wider audience than necessary. Your former manager agreed to recommend you, not become a travelling attachment.

“References available on request” doesn’t solve either problem. Employers can ask whether you include that sentence or not. Remove it and use the space for something useful: a relevant qualification, a project or a clearer achievement.

This isn’t a secret screening trick. It’s basic information design. Our guide to how long a resume should be explains how to make room for the information that actually supports your application.

In England, the National Careers Service’s guidance on CV sections advises against including someone else’s contact details on your CV. Its guidance allows an availability statement, but that doesn’t make the statement necessary on every application.

When the answer changes

Instructions beat general advice. If an employer explicitly asks you to include two referees on your CV, provide them after getting permission. Don’t remove a requested section because an internet guide told you minimalism was sacred.

The location of the request matters too. “Provide references” might mean completing fields in an application form, uploading a separate document or adding a section to the CV. Follow the actual wording rather than guessing.

Application situation	What to do	Main consideration
No references requested	Leave them off	Keep the resume focused
Separate reference upload requested	Attach a reference sheet	Follow the requested format
Application form has referee fields	Complete those fields	Avoid duplicating details unnecessarily
CV must include referees	Add a short references section	Ask each referee first
Public CV or portfolio	Keep contact details private	Share separately when requested

Country conventions aren’t identical. In the USA and Canada, a separate reference list is a practical default unless instructions say otherwise. The same approach works for many applications in Australia, England, Ireland and Scotland, but structured recruitment processes may request referee details early.

New Zealand deserves particular attention. Careers New Zealand’s guidance on writing a CV includes referees as a CV component. For a New Zealand application, check the employer’s instructions and expectations rather than automatically applying a North American convention.

Education, healthcare and other roles with safeguarding requirements may use forms that request specific referees or employment-history information. Supply what’s requested through the appropriate channel. Don’t treat every reference check as something that only happens after an offer.

Choose people who can give useful evidence

A strong reference can describe work they’ve actually seen. That’s more useful than an impressive title attached to someone who barely remembers you.

A former manager is often a good choice. Depending on the role and the employer’s requirements, a project lead, client, colleague, lecturer or volunteer supervisor may also be suitable. Personal references aren’t interchangeable with professional ones; use them when the employer accepts or requests them.

If you’re applying for your first job, think beyond paid employment. Someone who supervised your placement, assessed a substantial project or worked with you in a volunteer role may be able to discuss your reliability and skills.

Ask before listing anyone. A simple message works: “I’m applying for customer support roles. Would you be comfortable providing a positive reference about our work together?” That gives them a genuine opportunity to decline.

Some organisations only provide factual confirmation of employment dates and job titles. That’s not automatically a bad sign. Ask your referee what they’re permitted to provide, then check whether the hiring employer needs another suitable contact.

Build a separate reference sheet

Use a simple document with your name and contact information at the top. For each referee, include their name, job title, organisation, relationship to you and the contact details they’ve agreed you can share.

A relationship description should be specific: “Managed my work on the customer service team” is better than “Professional reference.” If they now work elsewhere, make the previous working relationship clear rather than implying they still represent your former employer.

Follow the requested number of references. If no number is given, preparing two or three willing contacts gives you options; it isn’t a universal requirement to send all of them.

Don’t include home addresses or unrelated personal information. Don’t publish the sheet on your public profile. Send it to the named recruiter or employer through their requested channel, and let your referees know contact may be coming.

Preparation helps people remember. Coaching them to invent a better version of you does not.

Keep endorsements and reference checks distinct

A public endorsement can strengthen your application, but it isn’t the same as a formal reference check. The employer may still need to verify employment, ask role-specific questions or speak to someone who supervised you.

A Wipperoz virtual CV combines a short intro video with a structured profile. Colleagues can also write peer endorsements through a link, and those endorsements appear alongside your profile. They’re written by the endorser, not composed by you.

That gives readers context without turning your public CV into a directory of private phone numbers. Keep the formal reference list separate, even when your profile includes endorsements.

Recruiters should be equally clear: say how many references you need, what relationships qualify and when you intend to contact them. If a candidate is employed, agree before approaching their current employer. Our guide to how recruiters screen candidates puts references in the wider assessment process; they shouldn’t substitute for evaluating the candidate’s actual evidence.

Give your experience the spotlight and keep your referees ready backstage. Sign up for free and have your virtual CV ready in 5 minutes, with a short introduction and structured profile that show what you bring—not just who can answer a call about you.