Do I need references on a resume?

If you choose to list references on your resume, you should not add your references' contact information unless you know the potential employer will contact each reference. In other words, a references section on a resume can state that "references will be furnished upon request."

When listing references on a resume, you should always check with the references to make sure they are okay with you listing them as a reference.

Here are the reasons not to list references on a resume:

• Your potential employer has not asked for them

• The addition of the references is taking up too much valuable space on your resume

• When references are not part of a potential employer's hiring process

Here are the rare cases when you might want to include references on your resume:

• Your potential employer has explicitly asked for them

• If you are in an industry that accepts case studies, such as consulting

• Your potential employer indicates that they require references