CVs: References available 'on request' or on the CV?

CamillaRhodes

Quick question: I'm trying to read through the mountain of great info here on CVs, but need to know kinda asap (sorry if it's been answered elsewhere):

is it considered better to put your referees' names on your CV, or to write 'References available on request'?!? I've always erred towards the former, but am wondering why some people go for the latter, and if it's a good thing

(gotta have this CV sent before 5pm today, so any quick answers would be super-appreciated!)

The Hill Billy

I state “available upon request” on my CVs. I then give my referees’ names only if an offer is being made.

It also affords me the opportunity to contact my referees & let them know what manner of role I am pitching myself for, & also to make sure that they are still OK with providing a reference.

Then again, as a contractor, I would be going for new roles every 6 to 12 months – so my referees would change a lot more than most peoples’.

Best of luck with the job hunting!

seamus

Depends on your situation. People tend to put referees on the CV, where they know that the referee is OK to be contacted. I tend for the latter because it means that any potential employer needs to ask for references before they can contact them. This gives me time to contact the references and let them know that an employer will be ringing them.

Particularly since I would always use my current employer as a reference, it's fairly important that I let them know I'm leaving before a new employer rings them!

missbusy

Hi,

Yes i think its best to give referees names and say written references available on request.

Nobody expects written reference to be included with a cv i don't think

patto_chan

I did a 1 day seminar on CV preparation last year - run by a recruitment agency.
They said to always put 'Excellent references available on request'.

If the company who gets your CV have to come back to you to get your referee's contact details that will give you time to alert them and inform them of what job you are going for.

Otherwise the company who receive your CV can go direct to your referees without your fore-knowledge.
I think this is particularly useful if your CV is sent to an agency and you do not know which company your CV has been sent on to. (You should always tell an agency not to send out your CV without first informing you.)

CamillaRhodes

Thanks all!

Missbusy, I didn't mean I would actually include the references themselves, but rather the referees names and contact details.

But as the resounding advice here seems to be to state 'On Request' I think I'm gonna give it a try! Cheers

dudara

patto_chan wrote: »

I did a 1 day seminar on CV preparation last year - run by a recruitment agency.
They said to always put 'Excellent references available on request'.

I wouldn't say "excellent"! Sounds too egotistical.

Just simply state "References available upon request".

This way you can forewarn your references that they may be contacted with regard to you, and allow them a chance to prepare. It provides a barrier for them as well so that they are not contacted out of the blue by recruitment agenices/HR people on a regular basis.

These people are providing you with a reference, so it is only courteous on your part to treat that as a privilege.

AARRRGH

On request has always worked for me.

azezil

I'm an 'on request' type of person as well, only 1 employer asked me for names, so I gave him 4, he didn't ring any of them!

AARRRGH

azezil wrote: »

I gave him 4, he didn't ring any of them!

Lots of employers are like this. The laziness of most HR staff is unreal.

Tom Dunne

patto_chan wrote: »

I did a 1 day seminar on CV preparation last year - run by a recruitment agency.
They said to always put 'Excellent references available on request'

Well I am sure that "seminar" was a vault of valuable information, without a hint of marketingspeak.:rolleyes:

OP - I always put "upon request" for the various reasons outlined above, especially the fact that it puts you in control as to when the employer/agency can contact your referees.

CamillaRhodes

Guys, that's quite a resounding endorsement of 'on request' - done and done, CV sent! Cheers

philtaylor

yeah available on request is the best option and as an employer I don't mind it either.

cronos

Im on the "on request" bandwagon.