If you opened a CV template from 2008, you'd see a tidy block at the bottom listing two former managers with phone numbers. Most templates still copy that pattern. Most hiring managers don't read it.

A reference check usually happens after the final interview, sometimes after a verbal offer. Putting names on the CV up front spends precious vertical space on information no one needs yet.

The short answer

For a one-page CV, drop the references section entirely. Don't write "References available on request" either — recruiters assume it. You don't need to announce it.

For a two-page CV with real space to spare, you can list two references at the very bottom, but only if you have permission from each person and the job ad asks for it.

When references on the CV actually help

A handful of situations make a strong case for listing them:

• Academic and research roles where supervisors and committee members are part of the application norm.
• Government, defense, and security clearance roles that require references in the file from day one.
• Small industries where the recruiter probably knows your references already, so seeing the name signals you have those connections.
• The job ad explicitly requests them. If it does, follow the instruction.

Outside those cases, the space is better used on a quantified bullet or a relevant project.

What to send when references are requested

When a recruiter asks, send a separate one-page reference sheet. The format:

• Same header as your CV (your name, phone, email)
• 3 to 5 references
• For each: name, current title, company, your relationship to them, phone, email

Keep the styling consistent with your CV — same font, same heading style. It's a continuation of the same document, not a stranger.

Picking the right references

The instinct is to pick the most senior person who knew you. That's not always the right call. A direct manager who can speak about your day-to-day work beats a director who barely remembers your name.

Good references usually fall into three buckets:

1. A recent direct manager.
2. A peer or cross-functional collaborator who saw your work up close.
3. A client or stakeholder if your role was external-facing.

Avoid family, close friends, and anyone you haven't worked with in the last five years. Recruiters spot "character reference" energy immediately.

Ask before listing

This sounds obvious. It still trips people up. Call your references before you list them. Tell them which role you're applying for, what skills the company cares about, and roughly when they should expect contact.

A reference who's been briefed gives a focused answer. A reference caught off guard gives a generic one. The difference matters.

Common mistakes

• Listing a former boss who fired you. This happens more often than you'd expect — people assume "any manager will do."
• Putting personal phone numbers without permission. Always confirm the number to use.
• Letting the list go stale. Refresh it every six months. Titles change, emails change, people move companies.

A note on LinkedIn recommendations

LinkedIn recommendations are not a substitute for a reference check, but they do soft-prove you have allies. A few specific, recent recommendations on your profile reduce the pressure on the references slot of your CV. If you're using Postulit to map your LinkedIn experience into a CV, ask the same recommenders to leave a public note while you're at it.

The reference section is one of the lowest-leverage parts of a CV. Get it out of the way fast: cut the line, save the space, and have a separate sheet ready for when it actually gets asked for.