References on Your Resume: How to Include Them and Who to Choose

Should references go on your resume, who to pick, how to ask permission and how to brief them so they speak to the job you want. With sample messages.

You reach the last section of an application form and find a box asking for references: name, title, phone number. Many people put down a former boss they have not spoken to in two years, without warning them. When HR calls, that person cannot remember the details of your work, gives a lukewarm answer, and it does not help you at all. This article shows how to turn references into a strength instead of a box you fill in.

What references are and how companies use them

A reference is someone who has actually seen you work and is willing to share information with a company considering hiring you. Companies usually call references near the end of the process, when only a few candidates remain, to confirm what you said in interviews: the real scope of your work, how you work with a team, and where you can improve.

Should you put them on your resume?

Usually: keep them separate

Resume space is limited and should go to results and skills. Prepare your reference list as a separate one-page document and send it when asked. You do not need the line "References available upon request", because HR already knows they can ask.

When you should include them

• The job post or company form asks for them
• You are applying to a government agency, state enterprise or an organisation with its own application form
• You are a new graduate with an advisor or internship supervisor willing to vouch for you, which genuinely adds credibility

Who to choose

The simple rule: choose people who saw your work most closely and whose view is most relevant to the new job, not the most senior names.

• Direct manager: carries the most weight, because they evaluated your work
• Cross-team colleague: good for roles that involve a lot of coordination
• Client or partner: good for sales, account roles or freelancers
• Lecturer or internship supervisor: for new graduates

Avoid relatives, close friends who never worked with you, and your current manager if you are job hunting quietly. If a company asks for your current manager, say honestly that you would like them contacted only after an offer is made. Most HR teams understand that request.

Always ask permission first, with a sample message

Never list someone without asking. Beyond manners, their phone number and email are their personal data. A short message like this works:

Hi Tom, I am applying for a Marketing Executive role at a retail company and would like to ask if I can list you as a reference, since you saw my campaign work most closely when we were on the same team. If that works, I will send you the job details first. If it is not convenient, no problem at all.

The last sentence matters: it makes saying no easy, so anyone who says yes really means it.

Brief your references before HR calls

The best reference knows what you applied for and remembers your work. Send them three things:

1. The company name, the role and a link to the job post
2. Two or three pieces of work they saw, with short details to jog their memory
3. The skills the new job needs, such as data analysis or customer care

You are not asking them to exaggerate, only helping them recall what is relevant. When you hear the outcome, whether you got the job or not, go back, thank them and tell them. That relationship will matter in your next search.

Reference document format

Use the same header as your resume and list two or three people, one block each, with:

• Full name and current title
• Current company
• Relationship to you, for example "Direct manager, 2022 to 2024, ABC Company"
• Phone and email they agreed you can share

Common mistakes

• Listing an old number that no longer works, which slows the process
• Using the same person for every application until they tire of the calls
• Not warning them, so they are caught off guard and cannot answer well

To learn what companies may check under data protection law, read Background checks in Thailand and the PDPA.

How to start

1. List five people who saw your work closely, then pick the three most relevant to your target job
2. Send a permission message and update their contact details
3. Make a one-page reference document, separate from your resume
4. Whenever you reach a final round, send your references the role details in advance

Before you apply, check your whole resume with the final resume checklist, tailor it in Resume Lab, and find roles to apply for on the job listings page.