References & Letters of Recommendation
What Do We Mean by References?
References are individuals who can speak to your knowledge, skills, and abilities in some capacity. Many types of applications may ask you to provide a list of references, whether for internships or jobs, graduate schools, summer programs, or other involvements.
A references sheet is a one-page document you create and should mirror the top header of your CV/resume. Below your header you would include the title “REFERENCES” and then list each contact’s name, organization or affiliation, email address and/or phone number, and your relationship to that person.
- Always ask first before listing someone as a reference
- Family and friends should not be references
- Do not list references at the bottom of your resume; it should be a separate document
- A list of three to five strong references is fairly typical; they may ask for a specific number of references, and you should adhere to that
- Strong references should be able to speak in depth about and provide examples of your character, qualities, abilities, skills, etc.
- A strong reference might be a current or former supervisor, preceptor, a professor you have worked with more closely, or a leader of an organization of which you were/are involved
- Any time you have submitted a reference sheet for an application, notify your references of the position and send along the description of the opportunity so they can prepare to be contacted; you never want your references to be caught off guard!
- If a reference sheet is not required, you can still prepare an up-to-date list of references to take along just in case you are asked to provide one