Hiring · Jul 13, 2026
How to choose and prepare job references
Learn who to ask for a job reference, what information to provide, and how to prepare references before an employer contacts them.
Prepared and reviewed by the Bulbul editorial team. This guide provides general career information; confirm current legal, employer, and program requirements with the appropriate official source.
Job references are people who can speak about your work, skills, reliability, or professional conduct. Choosing references early gives them time to prepare and helps you avoid delays when an employer requests names near the end of a hiring process.
Do not add someone to a reference list without asking them first.
Understand what the employer requested
An employer may ask for professional references, employment verification, or both.
A professional reference may discuss your work and how you performed it. Employment verification may only confirm details such as your job title and dates. Company policies differ, so a former manager may be limited in what they can share.
Read the request carefully. If the employer wants two supervisory references, a list of coworkers may not meet the requirement.
Choose people who know your work
Strong professional references may include:
- A current or former supervisor
- A team lead
- A senior coworker who worked closely with you
- A client or customer contact, when appropriate
- A teacher, instructor, coach, or placement supervisor
- A volunteer coordinator
Choose people who can give specific examples. A well-known job title is less useful if the person barely remembers your work.
Family members and close friends are usually personal references rather than professional references. Use them only when the employer asks for personal references or explains that they are acceptable.
Ask for permission
Contact each person before sharing their information. Tell them what type of role you are applying for and ask whether they are comfortable acting as a positive reference.
Example message:
Hello Priya, I am applying for customer support and order coordination roles. Would you be comfortable serving as a professional reference and speaking about the work we did together at Northside Supply? I can send the job description and my current resume if helpful.
Giving the person a choice is important. If they sound unsure or do not respond, ask someone else.
Confirm current contact details
For each reference, confirm:
- Full name
- Current job title
- Company or organization
- Relationship to you
- Phone number
- Professional email address
- Preferred contact method and time, if relevant
Ask whether their title or employer has changed since you worked together. Do not rely on contact information from an old document.
Prepare a separate reference list
Keep references on a separate page unless the application asks you to place them on your resume.
Use a simple format:
Priya Shah
Customer Service Supervisor, Northside Supply
Former direct supervisor
Phone: [phone number]
Email: [email address]
Use the same name and contact style as your resume. Do not include private notes about the reference.
Help your references prepare
Send each reference enough context to give a useful and accurate response.
Share:
- The job title and employer
- A copy or link to the posting
- Your current resume
- The skills most relevant to the role
- A reminder of projects or responsibilities you handled together
- The employer's expected contact timeline, when known
You are not telling the person what to say. You are helping them remember the work and understand why the employer may call.
Choose references for the specific role
The best reference list can change with the application.
For a warehouse supervisor role, a reference who observed your safety habits, attendance, training, and inventory work may be helpful. For customer support, choose someone who can discuss communication, documentation, and problem solving.
If you have several possible references, select the two or three whose experience best matches the role.
What if you have little work experience?
You can still provide useful references when you are new to paid work.
Consider:
- A teacher or instructor
- A placement or internship supervisor
- A volunteer coordinator
- A coach
- A supervisor from informal or part-time work
- A community organization leader who directly observed your responsibilities
Tell the employer how the person knows you. Do not present a personal relationship as employment.
What if your job search is confidential?
If your current employer does not know you are searching, do not list your current supervisor without permission.
You can tell the recruiter:
My current employer is not aware of my search. I can provide references from previous roles now and discuss current-employer verification later in the process.
Ask when references will be contacted so you can notify them first.
Keep your references informed
When an employer says they plan to contact references, send a short update.
Example:
Thank you again for agreeing to be a reference. I completed the final interview for the Shipping Coordinator role today, and the hiring manager may contact you this week.
After the process ends, thank the person. You do not need to share private details, but let them know you appreciated their time.
Reference checklist
Before submitting your list, confirm:
- Each person gave permission
- Contact details are current
- The relationship is described accurately
- The references match the employer's request
- Each person received the job information
- The document contains no unnecessary personal information
Keep a private record of when you last confirmed each reference's details.