{"id":619,"date":"2022-04-15T10:03:30","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T10:03:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/?p=619"},"modified":"2024-11-14T11:22:06","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T11:22:06","slug":"how-many-references-should-you-have","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/","title":{"rendered":"How Many References Should You Have?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, when applying for a job, you will most likely be asked to provide <\/span>several things: <span style=\"font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.7px;\"><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;A resume\\nA cover letter\\nWork samples\\nAnd a list of references&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:14849,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;14&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0},&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:11}\">1. A resume 2. A cover letter 3. Work samples 4. And a list of references. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1.0625rem; letter-spacing: 0.7px;\">In this article, we hope to answer at least some of them including how many references your application should have. And while the first three are quite self-explanatory, when it comes to references on a resume, applicants often have a lot of questions.<\/span><\/p>\n\n    <div class=\"builder-button\">  \n        <a href=\"\/goapp\/new-resume\" class=\"builder-banner__a\">Create your resume<\/a>\n    <\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img width=\"768\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/references-on-resume.png\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"How Many References Should You Have?\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/references-on-resume.png 768w, https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/references-on-resume-300x203.png 300w, https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/references-on-resume-50x34.png 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69ed385e8062b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #2c1e39;color:#2c1e39\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #2c1e39;color:#2c1e39\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69ed385e8062b\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#What_is_a_job_reference\" >What is a job reference?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#Why_do_employers_want_references\" >Why do employers want references?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#How_many_references_should_you_have\" >How many references should you have?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#Who_to_pick_to_be_your_reference_on_a_resume\" >Who to pick to be your reference on a resume?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#Here_are_some_ideas_for_who_you_may_want_to_consider_for_a_reference\" >Here are some ideas for who you may want to consider for a reference<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#What_if_I_dont_have_any_references\" >What if I don\u2019t have any references?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#Do_employers_check_all_references\" >Do employers check all references?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#Can_you_get_a_job_without_references\" >Can you get a job without references?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-many-references-should-you-have\/#How_many_references_should_you_have_summing_it_up\" >How many references should you have: summing it up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_job_reference\"><\/span>What is a job reference?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A job reference is someone who can attest to your professional skills and expertise. This can be a professional in the industry, a former colleague, previous supervisor, a professor at your university \u2014 and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A hiring manager will usually ask for references at some stage of your application process. References provide a helpful insight into your professional life and can help the HR manager to make a more informed decision.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"builder-banner-top\">\n        <div class=\"builder-banner-top__title\">\n            You'll Never Find a Good Job\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"builder-banner-top__text\">\n            It\u2019s a job hunter\u2019s common fear, but we can help boost your chances!\n        <\/div>    \n        <a href=\"\/goapp\/new-resume\" class=\"builder-banner-top__a\">Click to use resume builder<\/a>\n    <\/div><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_employers_want_references\"><\/span>Why do employers want references?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we\u2019ve mentioned above, references offer a useful insight into your professional personality. There are a number of reasons why a hiring manager may ask you to provide references:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It may be part of the company policy when it comes to any hiring process<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They may want to fact check some of the information on your resume<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They may want to get more details about some of the projects you\u2019ve worked on<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They may also want to learn more about your team playing capabilities and be personal qualities to deterring whether you will be a good fit for their team<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the HR manager asks you for references, it\u2019s nothing to be alarmed about. It doesn\u2019t mean they find you suspicious or don\u2019t believe what you&#8217;ve told them. The truth is, today, an employer asking for references is almost just as common as them asking for a resume and cover letter. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, according to the<\/span><span style=\"color: #e88768;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shrm.org\/resourcesandtools\/hr-topics\/talent-acquisition\/pages\/shrm-trend-continuous-background-screening.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span>87% of employers perform reference checks to verify candidates\u2019 employment history and reliability. Using an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.formpros.com\/business-forms\/employment-verification-letter\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.formpros.com\/business-forms\/employment-verification-letter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employment verification letter generator<\/a> can simplify this process, allowing employers to efficiently generate consistent and professional verification letters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_references_should_you_have\"><\/span>How many references should you have?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number of references you should provide can vary depending on the company and position you are applying for.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most cases, you should include at least three references in your reference list. However, if you are applying for a senior position or a position in, say, a government institution, you may be asked to provide up to seven references with your application.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_to_pick_to_be_your_reference_on_a_resume\"><\/span>Who to pick to be your reference on a resume?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, how do you decide who gets to be your reference on a resume?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several factors you may want to consider here:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The person\u2019s \u201cweight\u201d and reputation in your industry<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long they\u2019ve known you<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The quality of your professional relationship<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether they will be eager to provide you with a good reference and more.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best reference candidate is someone who knows you very well professionally and will be able to build a comprehensive picture of your abilities when talking to your new employer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Here_are_some_ideas_for_who_you_may_want_to_consider_for_a_reference\"><\/span>Here are some ideas for who you may want to consider for a reference<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Supervisor or manager.<\/strong> Someone who was working directly above you will be able to give your new employer an idea of how well you follow instructions, your work attitude and ethics. They may also attest to your ability to work independently and take initiative on projects.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Colleague.<\/strong> If you use a former colleague as a reference, they may be able tell your new employer about your personal and team playing qualities. They can share their experience of working with you closely on a daily basis, handling everyday work challenges.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Professor.<\/strong> If you don\u2019t yet have much work experience, consider using your university or college professor as a reference. They will be able share their view of your professional potential, learning ability, dependability and more.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Academic advisor.<\/strong> An academic advisor or counselor can offer very useful insights about your skills, professional capabilities and potential in a particular sphere. They will also be able to take about your passion for the chosen career, personal qualities and relevant academic achievements.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Mentor.<\/strong> A mentor is someone who inspires and motivates you. They may be the reason you\u2019ve chosen this particular profession or the ones who have provided you with guidance throughout your career. Your manager, boss, colleague or any industry expert can be a mentor. Using a mentor as a reference is a good strategy when you want to highlight your interest, passion and commitment for the work you do.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When selecting people to add to your list of references on a resume, it may be a good idea to choose individuals who have worked with you on different levels. For instance, a manager, a colleague and a subordinate. Together, they will be able to create a comprehensive picture of who you are professionally when taking to your new employer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn how to ask <a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-to-ask-someone-to-be-a-reference\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"598\">someone to be a reference<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_if_I_dont_have_any_references\"><\/span>What if I don\u2019t have any references?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are new to the job market, you may think that you don\u2019t have any references to add to your application. However, this may not be the case.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we\u2019ve mentioned above, you can use your college professor, academic advisor to be your reference on a resume. If you worked somewhere as an intern, your supervisor would make a good reference as well.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also ask someone outside of your industry to provide you with a reference. It\u2019s best to avoid using friends and family as work references on a resume, but you can use an acquaintance who knows you well enough to talk about your personal qualities. Note that when you include personal references instead of professional ones, it\u2019s best to include more than three.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be honest with your hiring manager and explain that you have limited work experience but are able to provide references from other spheres of your life that can attest to your professional potential.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_employers_check_all_references\"><\/span>Do employers check all references?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of applicants think that providing references on a resume is just a formality. It can also be quite comforting to think that no one is going to call all the numbers you\u2019ve listed on your reference list.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"orange\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, statistical data shows that most employers will indeed check all or most of your references.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means that it is wise to approach your reference selection with seriousness and not leave it till the last moment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read more about<\/span> how to <a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-to-list-references-on-resume\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"585\">format references<\/a> on a resume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also means that you should never fake references or use incorrect contact details. Using fake references in a job application process is illegal and can lead to serious consequences. Not only will you lose your chance of ever getting a job from this particular employer, you may also tarnish your reputation in the industry. Moreover, you may also have legal trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_get_a_job_without_references\"><\/span>Can you get a job without references?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In theory, it\u2019s absolutely possible to get a job without references. While the majority of employees do ask for a reference at some stage of the application process, some don\u2019t. Your ability to get a job without professional references also depends on the industry you work in, the company you are applying to and the position you are being considered for.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that said, taking the time to prepare <a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/professional-reference\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4037\">professional references<\/a> is a much more effective strategy. Even if you are not asked for references, you may volunteer to provide them and this could tip the scale in your favor with the hiring manager.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_many_references_should_you_have_summing_it_up\"><\/span>How many references should you have: summing it up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some important takeaways from all of the above:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When applying for a new job, there is a high chance that you will be asked to provide references.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s best to prepare references in advance: it may take you some time to find the right people, reach out to them and get their response on whether they can be your references.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When selecting candidates for professional references, consider your former supervisor, manager, colleague, professional, academic advisor, etc.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don\u2019t have any professional references, you can use references who can attest to your personal qualities that will be relevant to the job you are applying for.<\/span><\/li><li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most employees will check the references you\u2019ve provided. This is why you should never lie on your resume or fake references. This has serious professional and legal consequences.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We hope that all of the above has been useful and you will now be able to build a solid strategy for selecting references on a resume.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-resume\/\"><span style=\"color: #e88768;\">how to write a resume<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n    <div class=\"builder-banner\">\n        <div class=\"builder-banner__title\">\n            Build your perfect resume in&nbsp;a&nbsp;snap\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"builder-banner__text\">\n            Use templates created by HR pros to make your resume and cover letter catch the recruiter's eye.\n        <\/div>    \n        <a href=\"\/goapp\/new-resume\" class=\"builder-banner__a\">Create your resume<\/a>\n    <\/div><div style='text-align:left' class='yasr-auto-insert-visitor'><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Today, when applying for a job, you will most likely be asked to provide several things: 1. A resume 2. A cover letter 3. Work [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2648,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":""},"categories":[5,3],"tags":[],"table_tags":[],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0,"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=619"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7307,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619\/revisions\/7307"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=619"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resumekit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}