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.
