Free Resume References Template & Instructions

Excellent Resume References are a very important part of your job search.

Employers will contact them when making a final decision about whether you are the right fit for the particular job.

Who to Use for a Reference

Choose your references carefully! Review the Employment References Page to determine who to use as a reference.

After the employer has interviewed you and another small group of people for the position, they will most likely have narrowed down the prospective candidates to 2 or 3 people.

At this point the employer will contact one or two of your references. The information they receive from your references will help them make their final decision on whether you are the best person for the position.

Word of Wisdom: Always be on the lookout for those people who "notice" or appreciate your work. Whether it is a previous supervisor, a co-worker, or an organizational contact, a sincere and enthusiastic promoter of your work ethics and skills can prove to be a priceless asset.

TEMPLATE INSTRUCTIONS

Fill in Your Contact Information
After you have downloaded the Resume Reference Template, save it to your desktop with a different name, such as "LastNameReferences.doc". You will then fill in the top section of the References sheet with your contact information, just as you did with your resume and cover letter.

Reference Sheet Format
Your contacts will be listed on the Reference Sheet with their Full Name, their current Job Title, the Employer Name, and the Employer Phone Number. Make sure you double check for spelling errors and call the numbers to assure they are still working numbers.

Employers will not usually call all three references, but will choose two out of the three you have listed. Often they will call the first and the third one listed, so it is good to put your two strongest references in the first and third slots.

You're done!
Spell check your Reference sheet and print it out on Resume quality paper. You will send your Reference Sheet with your Resume and Cover Letter packet whenever contacting an employer.