Recently I was asked by a client what is best practice,when it comes to putting the contact details of their referees, on their resume. Some argue that if you do include their phone number, the prospective employer may call them without you knowing and catch the referee person off guard. Some feel that it might cause “bad feelings” and put off the referee from ever in the future providing advice. Well it really is a personal preference but when I write resumes for my clients, I do include the contact details and phone numbers but have an asterix (*) after the referees which says:
*Please advise me first before making contact.
From past experience in communication with employers, I feel that it can be annoying for them if they have to ask you for the contact number, then the time that takes can be consuming, especially if you don’t have their contact details on hand right away. So by having the details and that asterix, it allows the employer to make that quick confirmation call, allows you to quickly advise your referees and the reference call is made as soon as possible!
I have a video on-line entitled: “Should I have referees available upon request” and this can be viewed by clicking here
If you are interested in having a new resume written, assistance with responding to key selection criteria, I welcome you to visit our website at www.clientcentric.com.au