(Untitled)

[heathey]

I just need to figure this out, once and for all...

If you are asked to provide references with your resume, how many should you provide? And more importantly, is it ever acceptable to list coworkers, or do they all have to be supervisors?

Comments

[themagdalen]

1. The last line of your resume should be "References available on request."

2. You should provide three, if you must provide any. Two should be relevant professionally-- one can be from a volunteer position or community organization, usually, if you don't have three reasonably current pro ones.

3. You can certainly list a co-worker. If you do this, you want that person to be prepared to make a case that they have worked with you on a project or somehow benefited from your kickassness, rather than just worked near you. ("As a fry cook, I've never had a waitress put up such clear orders as heathey, and she never misses a shift!" vs. "she is fun to hang out with in the break room") If it's at all true, you may want to say "My boss has since left that company" as an explanation for why your recommendation is coming from someone else. On the other hand-- testimonials are good, as long as they are from someone who is in a position to know.

4. Don't sweat recommendations too much. Three people who will answer the phone and agree you're not an axe murderer is good enough for most kinds of jobs.

[fengshui]

At this point, if you need the space, you can delete "References available on request" if it'll get you to a single page resume. Everybody knows you have references.

3-4 is good, co-workers are fine. If possible, you should ask them if they'll do it, and send them a copy of your resume so they know what aspects of your career to talk up.

[heathey]

I'm sure Franklyn can talk me up...;)

Yeah, see below -- I hate it when people ask for them up front. I always assume people have them, and why would you bother asking for them when you don't even know if you want to interview that person yet?

[fengshui]

Yeah, that's a bit annoying. However, I figure once I've asked someone once, they know they might be called. Most of the people I'd put down for a rec would want to know I'm looking for a job anyways. However, I can certainly understand the reticence. It's no fun asking people to do it, even though they almost always say yes.

[heathey]

Thank you.... *sigh of relief*

I have actually avoided applying for jobs in the past that have requested references for resumes because I simply hate providing them, hate putting them together, hate asking people for them. So many of my supervisors have quit and left and been crazy that it's hard to scrape together a respectable list.

And why do they ask for it with the resume anyway? Just to make sure you have them? I thought it was always assumed that you did, and I'm perfectly willing to provide them -- in an interview. I don't just want to be sending people's names out all over town after they've entrusted me to give them out appropriately.