Office of Career Services

Yes. It is standard practice for employers to ask for the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of individuals they can contact to learn more about you and your work or academic experience. An employer may ask you for references at any point in the application process, but most often you will be asked before or after an interview.

 

Employers will typically ask for three references. You may want to have 1-2 other individuals on hand in case one of the three is unavailable or if your employers ask for more. For undergraduates or recent graduates, one or more may be professors. If you’ve been out in the work force for a few years, most of your references will be professional. Anyone who has supervised your work whether in a paid job, internship, volunteer experience or extracurricular activity is appropriate to ask. Do not list family members.

 

You must always ask potential referees if it is acceptable to list them. Try to give references a sense of what you are applying for and the skill set that the position(s) require(s). Give them an updated resume to familiarize them with your other experiences. If possible, try to find people appropriate to the type of job to which you are applying. In other words, if the position is research-based, ask professors with whom you’ve worked on research projects. Finally, make sure your references can say good things about you. If you are not sure, you should ask. You may also want to discuss your choices with a career counselor.

 

Do not list your references on your resume or say “references available on request,” as this phrasing is outdated. On a separate piece of paper, list three to five people with their exact title, organization, work address, phone number, and email address. You may also want to describe their relationship to you, especially if it is unclear. Print on high quality paper that matches your cover letter and resume, and use the same “heading” of your name and contact information if possible.

 

Stay in touch with your references and let them know with a thank-you note the outcome of your search. Proper etiquette aside, it will help keep your contacts current. You never know when you might need their help again sometime down the road.