References
Five key points about References:
- A good number of references to have is 3 – 5 people. Who should you ask? Current or former supervisors, faculty members, coaches, or advisors. Family or close personal friends are not recommended.
- Always ask permission before listing someone as a reference. As you ask, provide your references with a copy of your resume or CV, and any other materials that may be relevant like a job listing, cover letter, or graduate school essay.
- Your references are a separate document from your resume or CV. Be sure to put your three references in order of importance, so the reference listed first should be your most influential/relevant reference. Often times, employers may only contact your top two references, so it is important they be listed in an intentional order.
- Share the contact information for your references including their job titles, employers, mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
- Keep your references up to date on your progress and be sure to thank your references after your job search or your graduate school application process is complete.
Tip: Make sure the address header matches your resume address header.