Using Resume References Wisely

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Free Resume Articles : Using Resume References Wisely by Mike Woods

One of the favorite statements of most job seekers when writing their resume is stating that references are available upon request. Is this good practice? Or should you include character and work references for every resume application you submit?

Even career advisers and professionals are divided on the issue. There are those who believe that such statement in the resume is appropriate as it already tells employers that you will be able to provide the names of people who can vouch for your abilities and character if asked. They have the assumption that employers only call resume references if they believe you are the best candidate for the role. They will surely ask for references if they think so.

Some people, on the other hand, would dispute this assumption saying that you are not providing all the needed information to immediately process your application. They believe that every working professional should provide at least two references or more in their submitted resume. This provides prospective employers the necessary information to immediately take action and assess your suitability to the role.

With these two conflicting arguments regarding the inclusion of resume references, which do you follow?

The important point is you must have a section for references in your resume. Deciding which path to take depends on the situation you are in. It is in your best interests, however, to let your references know that you are sending their contact details to a certain employer regarding a particular position you are interested in. This allows your references to know which aspect of your work and competencies to talk about. This gives you a better chance of being hired rather than the employer catching them completely off-guard. It is also proper etiquette since you are providing employers with their contact numbers.

When submitting your resume to resume banks and job search sites where the information is readily available to a number of employers, it will be wise not to list references in the resume but rather include the statement that references are available upon request. As mentioned earlier, you don't want your references to be caught by surprise. Including their name and contact details in data banks that are accessible by many employers may result in them receiving numerous calls from prospective employers whom you have not been in contact with.

There are occasions when you may have been in contact with a prospective employer over the phone or by email and they want a copy of your resume to further evaluate your suitability to a role. It is in this type of situation that it is best to provide a list of your references in the submitted resume. You need to provide the employer with all the necessary information for the speedy processing of your application. You don't want them to waste their time by contacting you again to ask for work references. However, you do need to inform your references beforehand that you are including their contact details in your resume and that they might be contacted by the employer to discuss your application for a certain role.

If an employer do calls you for an interview and you have submitted a resume that states you will be providing references upon request, always bring another resume copy that includes a list of your work references. If employers are interested in giving you the job, they will certainly ask for references to validate your work history and competencies after the interview. You want to be prepared. Having a ready list of contact persons shows that you have initiative and will put you in a more positive light. Always bring a printout of all your submitted application documents to an interview. This includes your cover letter and your resume along with a list of references.

About the Author
Fact: Most of the resumes submitted will end up as trash. Don't let that happen to you. Learn how to write a resume that guarantees job success and how to make a winning resume cover letter.

Source: GoArticles.com