Important Notice:
This site has moved to AskAManager.org, please update your bookmarks. If you were looking for a specific post, you can use the site search option, archives, or categories at the new domain to find it. Thank you!

Friday, August 20, 2010

must your resume say that your "references are available upon request"?

A reader writes:

Do hiring managers still desire the "References Available Upon Request" line on a resume? 

They do not. It goes without saying that your references are available upon request; it would be really odd if they were not. 

Get rid of the line and use the area it frees up for some soothing white space.

3 comments:

Kimberlee Stiens said...

I have a two page resume which includes two references (with full info). I know you've said not to do this, but without it my resume becomes a page and a half, and with the references, it's not quite a full page, but it looks less awkward with the references. I think my resume is stronger as two pages rather than one, and I know that with the particular format I've chosen, it cannot fit on one. My format is super awesome. Is this a terrible approach?

Ask a Manager said...

Here's a post that explains why I think it's a bad idea to offer your references until the employer is seriously considering making you an offer:

http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2008/10/protecting-references-from-overload.html

But I think a page and a half is fine -- I wouldn't add in references just to get it to two.

Unknown said...

With the immersion of social networks you will be googles, facebooked and linkedined by the recruiters the moment you are seriously considered for the job. You are almost expected to have a LinkedIn profile nowadays. Last time I was asked to submit the references, I just sent the recruiter a link to my LinkedIn profile, where people have recommended me. I got the interview (and subsequently the position) at DHL... not the last company in the world.

I used to pay the recruitment agencies to get me the background information on the candidate including criminal checks, credit records and references from previous supervisors and colleagues.

So I guess it does not really matter whether you do it or not, if I need information on you as a recruiter, I will find it or will ask at a later stage, but I definitely would not overload the CV with such details.