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	References When an employer hires a person they do not already know, they take a risk because they don’t know if you can really do all the things you say you can, or if you will really show up for work on time regularly. So, employers check references to help make sure that you really are a good person for the job. Who can be a reference? Supervisors (from jobs, internships, or volunteer placements), former supervisors, co-workers or former co-workers, people you supervise (or used to supervise), and teachers all make good references. If you do not have three of these “professional” references, you can also use other people that have known you a long time, such as community group leaders. Remember to always ask your references if you can use them before you give their names to employers. And, tell your references what kids of jobs you are applying for, so they know what to tell the employers about. If one of your references knows the employer you are applying to, that’s good – you should mention them in the first paragraph of your cover letter. How many references do I need? You should have at least three references. Should I put the contact information for my references on my resume? You can put your references and their contact information at the bottom of your resume, or you can put them on a separate “References” page. If you do not have much work experience, or you have not worked in quite a while, it is often a good idea to include at least the names, titles, and phone numbers of your references to give yourself more credibility. Should I turn in reference letters with my resume or application, or should I just turn in the contact information for my references? Some job openings will tell you which the employer wants. If not, you can do either. But, if you have typed letters from your references, it is helpful to include them as an attachment after your cover letter and resume. When will the employer check my references? Usually, employers will not contact your references after they interview you. That way, they only have to contact the references for the people they are really interested in hiring. ð See some sample Reference pages and Reference resume sections						Hot New Job Opening
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	::: The SSCC Job Development Program ::: A Project of the Workforce Development Department & on-campus WorkSource Affiliate ::: 2005 :::