When writing a resume, you probably have a simple goal in mind – to showcase yourself in the best possible light and prove you’re the right person for the job. Unfortunately, the pressure to achieve this goal often leads job candidates astray, which is why as many as 64.2% of Americans have lied on their resumes at least once.
Employers are aware of this stat, which is why they conduct thorough background checks and interviews to verify candidates’ claims and ensure they truly are the best fit for their team.
References are a major part of these checks.
They allow employers to gain direct insight into the candidate’s work ethic, skills, and performance from previous employers and colleagues who’ve had the chance to see these in action. And yet, all the top rated executive professional resume writers advise leaving the references off your resume.
But why?
Keep reading to find out.
Why You Shouldn’t List References on Your Resume
Most commonly, your resume is the first touchpoint between you and your desired employer. From this fact alone, it’s easy to conclude that you should go all out with your resume, including every piece of information that might sway the employer in your direction. This instinct might incline you to include references right away, viewing this as a proactive step that demonstrates your preparedness and confidence in your qualifications.
In your eyes, the references send a clear message: “I’ve got nothing to hide!”
However, in the eyes of the recruiter, references on a resume might do more harm than good. Even including the notorious phrase, “References available upon request,” is often a red flag for those deciding on your candidacy.
To make matters worse, recruiters aren’t the only people you might put off by including references on your resume. Let’s see why references shouldn’t make it onto your resume.
No. 1 – It’s a Waste of Precious Resume Real Estate Space
As harsh as it sounds, recruiters only spend six to eight seconds looking at your resume. Plus, most experts suggest keeping your resume one to two pages long. With such a limited space – and such a limited attention span – it’s crucial to use every inch of your resume wisely.
Depending on the job you’re applying for, you’ll want to highlight your workplace and technical skills, relevant experience, and any accomplishments that directly align with the job description. In other words, you should make every word on your resume count.
And let’s face it – references aren’t packed with value. If you look at them objectively, they’re nothing but a bunch of names and phone numbers. As such, they don’t directly contribute to demonstrating your qualifications or suitability for the job upfront.
Including references on your resume can actually detract from the more impactful sections that showcase your relevant, noteworthy, and respected achievements. So, instead of cluttering your resume with unnecessary information, leave the references off and use the free space in a more productive way – to successfully distinguish yourself from the competition.
No. 2 – It’s a Privacy and Security Risk
Let’s not sugarcoat it – sharing any information online in today’s digital age represents a security and privacy risk. This refers to your own personal information, like your home address and phone number. However, it also refers to other people’s information you might include on your resume, aka your references.
A typical reference will include your former employer’s or colleague’s:
Full name
Job title and company name
Phone number and email address
That’s a lot of sensitive information to write on a document that might go through numerous hands before reaching its intended recipient. Unfortunately, it’s not rare for recruiters to use these details to pitch their services to companies. Similarly, marketers often post fake job listings to obtain as many new contacts as possible to do the same.
So, to protect people gracious enough to serve as your references from spam and scam attempts, keep their information private.
No. 3 – It Might Ruin Your Professional Relationships
Hunting for a new job is difficult as is. However, it becomes incredibly more challenging when your current employer doesn’t know what you’re up to.
Now, there are many reasons to keep your job search confidential from your current employer, including the risk of retaliation. So, it’s always prudent to keep this search discrete. Naturally, this means no references from your current job should make it to your resume.
All it takes is one call from your prospective employer early on in the hiring process to alert your current employer. The result? You might ruin your current professional relationships and put your candidacy at risk.
No. 4 – There Are Better Ways to Share Your References
To be clear, not sharing your references on your resume doesn’t mean not sharing your references at all.
Potential employers will almost always ask you for references to confirm the positive attributes you’ve displayed during the interview process and verify details of your past work and impact. But that’s just the thing – wait for the employer to ask for the references, don’t offer them up yourself using your resume.
Your potential employer will typically ask for the references toward the end of the interview process after they’ve had a chance to evaluate your qualifications and assess your fit for the role. This means that you should prepare your reference list early on; just don’t list them on your resume.
Instead, create a separate reference list containing about three people who can attest to your professional experience, skills, and performance. When asked, submit this list via email or hand it over directly to the recruiter. It might also be helpful to bring a printed version of this list for your first interview, just in case. After all, recruiters are entitled to ask for references at any point, so you want to always be ready.
Should You Always Keep References Off Your Resume?
In short – no. There are rare cases when you might need to include references on your resume. However, this scenario will typically only arise when the job description explicitly asks for just that – references on your resume. Federal resumes and curriculum vitae's also usually require professional references to be included in one document.
Other than that, if you’re in an industry that accepts testimonials or case studies on your resume, you might benefit from including the references, too. However, it’s always best to check with experts, such as resume writing services for HR professionals or consultants.
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