Part of the career guides cluster in the employment knowledge graph — connected to occupations, documents, hiring guides, career guides, country guides and employment law.
What this is
A reference is a statement, usually from a former employer or someone who knows your work, that an employer may seek to confirm your experience and conduct. References often come towards the end of the hiring process.
They matter because they help an employer verify what you have said and form a fuller picture of you. Well-chosen, well-prepared referees can support a positive offer decision.
Key steps
- Decide who knows your work well enough to speak about it.
- Ask each person for permission before listing them.
- Confirm their current contact details and preferred method.
- Let them know which roles you are applying for.
- Share the job description so they can speak to relevant strengths.
- Tell them when a request may arrive so they can respond promptly.
- Thank them afterwards, whatever the outcome.
Practical tips
- Choose referees who can speak specifically about your work.
- Mix perspectives where you can, such as a manager and a colleague.
- Brief each referee on the role so their comments are relevant.
- Keep your referees up to date as your search progresses.
- Have a written reference letter ready where one is offered.
- Respect any policy your former employer has about references.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Listing someone as a referee without asking them first.
- Giving out-of-date contact details for referees.
- Choosing people who barely know your work.
- Failing to brief referees on the role.
- Forgetting to thank or update them.
What to do next
- Make a shortlist of potential referees.
- Ask each one for permission and confirm their details.
- Share the roles and job descriptions with them.
- Request a written reference letter where appropriate.
- Keep them informed as interviews and offers progress.
Create a professional CV
Where this work touches candidates or career moves, a clean, current resume helps. People can build and update one with the HELPERG CV Builder.
Export, edit and share documents
The documents, policies and templates this involves can be exported, edited, signed, stored and shared as PDFs with the HELPERG PDF Editor.
Prepare with a professional CV
Most career moves — a first job, an application, a career change — start with a clear, current CV. People can build and update one with the HELPERG CV Builder, then export and share it as a PDF.
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