References on Resume: 7 Examples and What to Send Instead

By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published 2026-08-23 · Updated 2026-10-07

9 min read

References do not belong on a resume. Send a separate one-page reference sheet when the employer asks for it, with three to four names, and keep the resume space for evidence. The rules on what an employer may then check come from the EEOC and FTC joint guidance, quoted below and fetched in September 2026. The complete reference sheet comes first, then seven worked entries, the email that asks someone to be a reference, and the lines never to print. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

The reference sheet, complete

One page, your name at the top in the same font as your resume, three to four entries, nothing else.

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Seven worked entries, one per situation

Each entry is three lines: who they are, what the relationship was with dates, and the one thing they can speak to. The third line is the part everybody leaves out and the part that gets used.

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Who counts, and how many

• Three is the standard, four is the maximum. More names reads as padding and nobody calls the fourth.
• At least two must have managed you. A reference list of peers only raises a question you do not want asked.
• One recent. A reference older than five years is a character reference, not a work reference.
• Never a relative, and never a friend with no working relationship to describe.
• Ask first, every time. A surprised reference is worse than no reference.

What an employer may check, in the official wording

Knowing the limits tells you what a reference call can and cannot cover, and where a background check takes over.

The EEOC states plainly: "Any background information you receive from any source must not be used to discriminate in violation of federal law", in its joint guidance with the FTC on background checks. The same publication, hosted by the FTC, sets the other half of the rule: "when you run background checks through a company in the business of compiling background information, you must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)", on the FTC business guidance page.

A phone call to your old manager is not a consumer report and sits outside the FCRA. A paid screening company's report does not, and you must be told about it.

When the employer sets the format

Some employers state the document rules in the posting, and the reference sheet is a document. The USAJOBS Help Center says your resume "meets all requirements listed in the job announcement", on its resume help page. If a federal announcement asks for names inside the resume, follow the announcement rather than this page.

For the layout of the covering note that goes with a sheet, the Purdue OWL is the plainest guide, including the rule that when the reader is unknown you should "use a nonsexist salutation, such as their job title followed by the receiver's name", on its basic business letters page.

A reference on a resume or CV in Australia

Australian job ads and applicants say referees rather than references, and the convention on a CV is looser than the American rule above. Many Australian applicants end the CV with a short Referees section of two names, and some ads ask for two referees in the application itself. Both are fine, as long as every person listed has agreed and knows the role you applied for.

If you list referees on an Australian CV, give each one the same four lines as the sheet: name, job title and employer, relationship with dates, and a phone number and email. Two referees is the usual number, and at least one should be a recent supervisor. If the ad does not ask for them and space is tight, keep them on a separate page and send it when the employer asks after the interview.

How to put references in a CV in the UK

In the UK the same document is a CV, and the advice is short. The National Careers Service says: "You might want to include a section about references if there is someone who has agreed to give you one." It then adds that "you should not put someone else's contact details on your CV. Instead, you can say that 'references are available on request'."

So there are two correct ways to write references in a CV for a UK employer. The first is one closing line, which keeps your referees' details private until the employer is ready to check them. The second, when the advert asks for referees in the application, is a short section with two names, each with job title, organisation, how they know you and contact details, given with their permission. If the advert asks for your most recent employer, make that person the first entry.

What to do when your old manager has left

Name the company's HR line for verification and add the manager separately with a personal email, marked as "former manager, now at another employer". That combination gives the employer something checkable and something human, and it explains the gap before anyone asks.

If the company has closed, say so in the entry and offer a colleague from the same team plus any documentary proof you hold, such as a payslip or a contract.

Never print these on a resume

• A block of names and phone numbers. It burns space and hands out other people's contact details.
• "References available upon request." Everybody knows, and it wastes a line.
• "Excellent references available." A claim about other people's opinions is not evidence.
• A reference's home address or job title with no relationship line.
• Anyone you have not asked in the last three months.

Tip: Write the reference sheet before you need it. Chasing three permissions in the 24 hours after an interview is how good candidates lose the offer.

See references on a resume for the short version of this rule, reference letter for the written letter, character reference letter for a non-work referee, and resume header for matching the sheet to your resume. Families hiring childcare ask for something more specific, covered in the nanny reference letter samples. If your last job ended in a dismissal, our guide on how to explain getting fired in an interview shows what to say before the reference call.

Frequently asked questions

How to write job references?

Write three lines per reference: name, job title and employer, then the relationship with dates, then the one topic they can speak to. Put them on a separate one-page sheet that matches your resume header, and send it only when the employer asks.

How do I put a reference in a CV?

Add a short References or Referees section at the end with two names, each with job title, employer, how they know you and a phone number or email, after asking their permission. On a UK CV, add it only when the advert asks for referees; on a US resume, put the same lines on a separate sheet.

How to write personal references?

A personal reference should still carry a role and a timeframe: a volunteer coordinator, a coach, a landlord, with dates. Say what they have seen you do rather than what they think of you, and never use a relative, which most employers discount automatically.

How to include references in cover letter?

Do not list them there either. One line at the end is enough: "Two contactable references, including my most recent manager, are available on request." Save the names and numbers for the reference sheet, and only send it when it is asked for.

Do you need references on your resume or CV?

On a US resume, no. No employer expects them on the page, and they cost you a quarter of your most valuable space. On an Australian CV, a short Referees section with two names at the end is common and accepted. On a UK CV, end with "references are available on request" unless the advert asks for referees, then add two with their permission. Either way, keep a separate sheet ready and only list people who have agreed.

How many references should you have?

Three, with a fourth in reserve. At least two should have managed you, and at least one should be from your most recent role. Beyond four, nobody calls, and a long list starts to look like an attempt to dilute a weak one.

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