What Should a Job Reference Page Look Like?

What Should a Job Reference Page Look Like?
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These days, most employers demand a job reference list along with a resumé, which they can use to verify the applicants employment and educational past. Before we explain how to make a job reference list, you can download a job reference template from here, which will give you a fair idea about what a job reference page should look like. This template is customizable, and to use it the user just has to replace the instruction text with the actual information about the references.

Let’s take a look at what all goes into a job reference list.

Creating a Job Reference Page Using the Template

The job reference template has two parts – the upper right hand corner is reserved for the details of the applicant, and the lower part that contains a table is meant for details of the references.

The Applicant’s Details

This section of the job reference format requires the name of the applicant, his postal address, his contact numbers and his email. When using the template make sure that you use the same font style that you have used for your resumé, this will lend a nice continuity to your job application.

The Details of the References

The lower section of the template contains a table with six cells, into which the contact details of the references can be filled. If you’re planning to give job references as well as educational references, (as may be the case with people who are applying for a job for the first or second time), the job references must come before the educational references. When writing job references, list the latest and the strongest ones on top, since in many cases the verifier may not contact more than the first two references on your list.

For each reference the information required is – name of the person, designation and department, name of the company or

educational institution, street/ postal address, contact numbers and email address. It’s always better to specify the timing during which verification calls can be made on each of the contact numbers of the references, where possible.

Before you get started with writing a job reference page, call up the people on your reference list to get permission from them and to verify their contact details. You don’t want the verification calls to land on someone else’s desk, so do give your references a call to verify their contact details – just in case your references have taken up different jobs or their contact numbers have changed. The calls will also serve the purpose of reminding them about you, and letting them know that they may receive verification calls about you.

Example of a Job Reference

Including the references within the resume isn’t quite appreciated by employers these days, since most employers appoint verification agencies to carry out the reference check, and having a separate reference sheet comes in quite handy in this regard.

Now we’ve covered what should a job reference page look like, remember not to list just any references on your reference list. Make sure the references know you well and that they’ll have something worthwhile to contribute about you during the verification calls - your new job depends on what your references say about you.

Images Taken by: Sidharth Thakur