Leave references off the resume unless the posting asks for them on that page. The line "References available upon request" does not name a person, so it does not add a fact. When someone asks, send a separate sheet of people who already agreed to talk about work they saw.
The sheet later is a fictional writing model. Ask each person before you send a name. This page is not legal advice about what a form may require you to disclose.
Where references go
On a US-style resume, leave the block off. Resume section order lists references, including the request line, among the items that do not belong unless a form asks. The page is for the jobs, the education, and the skills you can explain.
When a form has referee fields, fill those fields. Do not also paste the same names onto the resume unless the posting says to include them in the file. When a UK academic posting, or another research posting, asks for referees on the CV, put them on the CV. How that document differs from a resume is in resume vs CV.
What the request line does
"References available upon request" tells the reader they may ask. They already know that. The line does not include a name, a phone number, or permission. It spends a line the rest of the page could use for a task.
Leave the line off unless the posting tells you to print that sentence. Some UK CVs still end with it. Follow the posting when it asks for the sentence or for names. A habit from a template is not the posting.
What to put on the sheet
Use a separate page with your name and the same email as the resume, then a heading such as References. One block per person is enough.
- The person's name.
- Job title and organization, as they use them.
- How they know the work, in one short phrase, such as "supervised my cafe shifts."
- The phone number and email they agreed to use.
Leave off a home address, a date of birth, a quote you wrote for them, and a paragraph about your friendship. Do not add a metric they did not say. Send the sheet when someone asks, as its own file. Do not staple it on as a second resume page unless the posting says to include references in the file.
Who to ask
Ask someone who saw the work: a manager, a teacher who graded the project, or a volunteer lead who assigned the shift. Tell them the role you want and what you hope they can describe. If they hesitate, thank them and ask someone else.
A relative is a weak reference for most jobs, because they did not supervise the work. Use a current manager only when they know you are applying. If they do not, pick another person who saw the work. You can say that in an interview if someone asks why the current manager is not on the list. Do not invent a reason.
How many
Use the number the form asks for. If it does not say, two or three people who saw the work is a common practice. This site did not measure a preferred number. Do not pad the list with people who barely know the work so the count looks larger.
A fictional reference sheet
Fictional writing model. Priya Shah is invented. The notes say Dana Brooks supervised cafe shifts, and Luis Ortega assigned a pantry logging shift. Both agreed to be contacted. The phone numbers use the reserved 555 range. The emails use example.com. Do not copy the names onto a real application.
Priya Shah priya.shah@example.com References Dana Brooks Cafe manager, Northline Cafe Supervised my cafe shifts (555) 010-0142 dana.brooks@example.com Luis Ortega Volunteer coordinator, Campus pantry Assigned the donation-log shift (555) 010-0198 luis.ortega@example.com
The sheet does not say "increased sales" or quote a sentence Dana did not write. If a posting asks for two referees, these two fictional blocks show the shape. If it asks for none, the resume stays without them.
What the checker looks for
The resume checker looks for experience, education, and skills headings, bullet length, and a few wording rules in text you paste. It does not require a references heading, and it does not score an interview. A missing references line is not a failed check. A references line you were not asked for is still clutter.
Do not turn a reference into a bullet the person did not say. The resume bullet point generator arranges a verb and an object you type about your own work. It does not draft a quote for a referee, and it does not add a name.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put references on my resume?
Not on a US-style resume, unless the posting asks for them there. Send a separate sheet when someone asks. If a form or an academic CV asks for referees, follow that request. The sheet on this page is fictional.
Should I write "References available upon request"?
No, unless the posting tells you to print that sentence. The line does not name anyone. Leave the space for a task you can explain.
Who should I list?
Someone who saw the work and agreed to talk about it. Skip a relative for most jobs. Use a current manager only when they know you are applying.
How many references do I need?
Use the number on the form. If the form is silent, two or three people is a common practice. This site did not measure a preferred number. Do not add names to make the list longer.