How to Provide Professional References to Potential Employers

Resume writing is corporate America’s equivalent of writing a personal statement for your college applications. Tell us your life story (professionally speaking) in as few bullet points as possible, please!

With such a limited space, there is no room for unnecessary information. This is why the ongoing debate about inclusion of references on resumes confuses me. Many professionals will argue that you should include three to five references on your resume. I understand the logic – give the potential employer any and all information that would make hiring you as efficient as possible.

However, even if you stick to the heading and two lines of text per reference, you’ve just taken up over two inches of valuable resume space. That’s prime real estate on a one-page resume.

What are your other options? Well, you can use a variety of generic statements, such as, References are available upon request, or References will be furnished upon request. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but most employers operate under an assumption that you have professional references. It is not necessary – in fact, most professionals argue strongly for this point – to include any such general statements on your resume. It is, again, considered a poor use of your self-promotional space. I sit on the fence of this argument. In certain situations, it is very helpful to mention that you have professional references. For example, if you are a student who is seeking a full-time job post graduation, and have very limited work experience, mentioning that you have professional references can work to your advantage. This is also the case with those who are switching careers, especially if you are trying to showcase your work to your employer (such as a sampling of your photography, or writing). If you have a portfolio to share, make sure you mention that on your resume. Feel free to use something like, Professional references and portfolio of work available upon request.

Now, there is nothing more embarrassing then not having references if asked for them. Consider this – you are in an interview, and your potential employer asks that you provide a list of references. You have nothing prepared. Your options? You start clicking through your phone or BlackBerry to find suitable references. Chances are, you have left a sloppy impression on your interviewer. To avoid looking like an amateur, even if you are one, have a list of professional references alongside your resume.

Your references should be on a separate sheet of paper. This sheet should have the same heading as your resume, allowing your potential employer to know who the references belong to.

Your references should know that they are your references. After a few years, you may be likely to lose touch with former coworkers. Before you list anyone as a reference, make sure that you can still use them as you reference. Get in touch with the person and politely ask if you can include them on your list. Also, give them heads up on the type of jobs you are applying for. This will assure that your employer receives great feedback about you.

Include four to five references on your list. If possible, include professional references only (meaning anyone that you have worked with or for). If you have limited work experience, ask your professors if they would serve as your reference. Avoid listing family members or close friends unless you also have a professional relationship with them.

The reference listing should include the following information:

– Person’s first and last name,

– Their relationship to you

– Professional title

– Company they work for,

– and their daytime contact information.

Include current contact and employment information. Double – no, triple – check the contact information for the folks you will include on your reference list. Ask your references if the information you had from the past is current, including employment information; if not, update the data you have. Make sure you have daytime phone numbers for those on your references list. Also, feel free to include an email address and let your future employer know if a reference prefers to be contacted via email (this is usually how professors like to be contacted).

Proofread the listing and assure that there are no errors. This is an important step most people miss. Read through your reference list; make sure all of the names and company information is written properly. You will look like a fool if you misspell a well-known company’s name, and even like a bigger fool if you misspell the name of your reference. Pay attention to details.

Now, happy job hunting!