11 – References
If an employer decides to offer you an interview, they will need someone they can trust to write a “reference” to confirm that what you’ve said in the CV is true and that you would make a good employee. The reference section lets them know who they can ask for this.
Who will be my referee?
A referee should be a trustworthy professional who knows you well and can be relied upon to be honest. The best referee is your most recent employer. If that’s not possible, ask a youth worker, teacher, religious leader, support worker… anyone who has known you for a while and can be relied on to give a fair description of your skills and personality.
Asking for a reference
Ask your chosen referee if they would be willing to write a reference for you and for you to put their contact details on your CV. If you are given an interview for the job, the employer may ask the referee to write a few paragraphs about what your relationship is to them and whether they think you would be suitable for the job. They will have to be able to supply a reference at short notice. Sometimes a referee might show you what they’ve written, other referees will prefer to keep it secret.
How many referees?
Some jobs require two or even three referees. Find out in advance how many referees are needed. If you’re using the CV template, you can cut and paste the text to add more referees.
Add your referee or referees to your CV