References on a CV: what to write, whom to ask and what they are asked

On the CV or on request: what the guidance says

Career services agree on the contact details and split on the one-line note. The table below shows each position as written on 13 October 2026. The guide to writing a resume covers the rest of the CV's sections.

Should the line 'references available on request' go on?

It is optional. The National Careers Service allows it; Prospects and MIT call it unnecessary because employers assume it. On a two-page UK CV that is already full, cut it. On a Turkish CV, where a references section is expected, the TED University sample shows a middle course: names and employers, with phone numbers held back until asked.

First: ask before you list anyone

1. Choose people who have seen your work: a manager, a supervisor, a lecturer, someone you volunteered for. Seton Hill University suggests people who know your work well.
2. Ask early, in person or by email, and say what you are applying for and why you chose them (Seton Hill).
3. Send your CV, the job advert and the deadline, so they can speak to what the role needs.
4. Confirm their current job title, employer, email and phone, and how they prefer to be contacted.
5. Tell them when an employer is likely to get in touch. Acas advises employers to ask for references at the final stage, when making an offer.
6. Thank them afterwards and tell them how it went; Seton Hill makes this the last step.

Who makes a good referee

Acas, the UK's workplace advice service, splits references into two kinds. A work reference usually comes from a current or previous employer. A character reference comes from someone who knows you well, such as a manager, a mentor or someone you have volunteered for. The NHS Employers standard adds that personal references should come from people who are not related to you and have no financial arrangement with you.

Your current employer

Nobody should contact your current employer without your agreement. Acas says the recruiter should have your permission before approaching your current employer, ideally after a conditional offer, because asking too early can cause trouble for you. The NHS Employers standard says the new employer must seek your permission before obtaining that reference. Mark your current manager on the list as 'please contact only after an offer' if that is your condition.

Sample reference list

Everyone below is invented. The applicant, Ayşe Korkmaz, is a logistics coordinator applying for a planning role. The fields follow Seton Hill's list: full name, job title, organisation, phone, email and your relationship to the person. Use the same name header and font as your CV, on a separate page.

Layout notes

• Two or three referees is the range the UK and Turkish sources here give; Seton Hill suggests three to five professional contacts for US applications.
• Put a work reference first, then an academic or character one.
• If the NHS or another employer asks for a referee's landline, give the organisation's main number; the NHS standard asks for a main landline.
• Never list anyone who has not agreed. Check the details again before each application; people change jobs.

What your referee will be asked

Acas publishes the reference request letter that UK employers can send. Its three versions show what a referee is likely to be asked, so you can brief yours.

The NHS Employers standard, updated 23 July 2026, sets a minimum for NHS posts: the employer, dates, role, any recent or ongoing disciplinary action or referrals, and the reason for leaving where known, covering three consecutive years for a new external appointment. It also asks for factual content without subjective personal opinions.

What a reference should leave out

Acas lists what a reference should not contain: misleading or irrelevant information, reasonable adjustments made for a disability, absences relating to disability, adoption, maternity or paternity leave, old or irrelevant disciplinary matters, and anything about protected characteristics.

A short note to send your referee

Illustrative note, to adapt: 'Thank you for agreeing to be a referee. I have applied for the Planning Coordinator role at [employer]; the advert and my CV are attached. They may contact you in the next few weeks, probably by email. The parts of my work most relevant to them are the carrier scheduling and the weekly cost report. My dates with you were March 2023 to now.'

If you cannot get a reference, or get a bad one

In the UK an employer does not have to give a reference by law, Acas says, unless it promised one in writing, the job is a regulated financial services role, or it was agreed, for example in a settlement agreement. If it does give one, it must be accurate and fair.

• No reference from a former employer: ask the new employer whether it will accept one from someone else, such as a manager or a colleague, or a character reference (Acas).
• The former employer has a policy against detailed references: ask for a basic one stating your role and dates (Acas).
• The new employer may offer a probation period instead (Acas).
• To see what was written, ask the referee or the recipient in writing. Acas notes a reference given in confidence may be withheld under UK GDPR.
• If a reference was discriminatory, an employment tribunal claim has strict time limits, possibly 3 months minus 1 day; a misleading reference that caused a loss may support a county court claim in England and Wales (Acas).

Sources, read on 13 October 2026

Where this page stops

• Academic recommendation letters for a master's or scholarship are written by the referee and usually submitted through a portal; the motivation letter guide lists what DAAD and METU ask for.
• A German Arbeitszeugnis is a written reference with its own coded language; it has its own guide.
• Explaining why you left a job, before anyone calls your former employer, is covered in the guide to a CV after a layoff.

Next steps

• Ask your referees this week, before an application needs them.
• Keep the reference list as its own one-page document next to your CV, and bring a copy to interviews.
• In CitedCV the CV has a References heading if you want one, and its acceptable use policy says not to enter a referee's contact details without their agreement.

Questions people ask

Sources

1. National Careers Service: CV sectionsnationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/cv-sections
2. Prospects: How to write a CV (May 2025)www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/how-to-write-a-cv
3. MIT CAPD: Resumescapd.mit.edu/resources/resumes/
4. Harvard Mignone Center: Create a strong resumecareerservices.fas.harvard.edu/resources/create-a-strong-resume/
5. Acas: What employers can say in a referencewww.acas.org.uk/what-employers-can-say-in-a-reference
6. Acas: Providing a job referencewww.acas.org.uk/providing-a-job-reference
7. Acas: If you cannot get a referencewww.acas.org.uk/providing-a-job-reference/if-you-cannot-get-a-reference
8. Acas: If you get a bad referencewww.acas.org.uk/providing-a-job-reference/if-you-get-a-bad-reference
9. Acas: Reference request letter templatewww.acas.org.uk/reference-request-letter-template
10. NHS Employers: Employment history and reference checks standardwww.nhsemployers.org/publications/employment-history-and-reference-checks-standard
11. Seton Hill University CPDC: Choose referencescpdc.setonhill.edu/learn-how-to/choose-references
12. TED University Career Centre: CV bookletcareer.tedu.edu.tr/sites/default/files/docs/staj_kitapcik_0-1_1.pdf