How many references should you have on a resume?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

You should have between three to five references on your resume. These should be past employers or co-workers that can vouch for your abilities, skills, and work ethic. If you are a recent graduate, you can use college professors or some other education official that can vouch for your dedication to learning.

If you are new to the workforce and don't have three to five references to list on your resume, this is generally okay, as your potential employer will understand if you only have one or two references.

It is important to contact the people you are using as references beforehand. Also, you should not list their contact information on your resume unless you have already secured an interview with a specific company; instead, simply state that reference contact information will be provided upon request.