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Create ResumeJob references are people an employer may contact to verify how you worked, performed, communicated, and behaved in previous roles. In Australia, references are usually checked near the end of the hiring process, often after interviews and before a formal offer. You do not need to include referees on your resume unless the job ad specifically asks for them. Most of the time, you can write “references available on request” or leave them off entirely and prepare them separately.
What matters is not simply having references. It is choosing the right people, briefing them properly, and understanding what employers are really trying to confirm. A poor reference rarely announces itself dramatically. More often, it creates hesitation. And in hiring, hesitation is where offers go to quietly die.
Job references are people who can speak to your work history, performance, conduct, strengths, reliability, and suitability for a role. Employers use them to reduce hiring risk. That is the plain version.
The more honest recruiter version is this: references are not usually used to discover whether you can do the job from scratch. By the time an Australian employer reaches reference checking, they normally already think you can do the job. The reference check is there to confirm whether their confidence is justified.
That distinction matters.
A hiring manager is not usually asking, “Is this person employable?” They are asking:
“Is what we saw in interview consistent with how this person actually works?”
“Are there any concerns we have missed?”
“Can I trust this person in the role, team, workload, and environment we are hiring for?”
“Will this person make my life easier or create problems I could have avoided?”
That is why references are powerful. They do not just confirm dates. They shape confidence.
In the Australian job market, reference checks are still common across corporate roles, government roles, healthcare, education, trades, finance, professional services, administration, sales, operations, and leadership hiring. Some employers run them formally through HR or an external platform. Others do them the old fashioned way, with a phone call and a hiring manager asking direct questions.
Australian employers usually ask for references after they have shortlisted you, interviewed you, and are seriously considering you for the role. In many cases, reference checks happen after a final interview and before the offer is made. Sometimes they happen after a verbal offer but before the written contract is issued.
This is one of the biggest areas candidates misunderstand.
If an employer asks for references, it is usually a positive sign. It means you are likely in serious contention. But it does not mean the job is guaranteed. I have seen candidates relax too early at this stage, as if the hard part is over. It is not over. Reference checking can still affect the outcome.
Employers may ask for references:
After the first interview, if the process is short
After the final interview, if you are the preferred candidate
Before making a verbal offer
After a verbal offer, before issuing a contract
During compliance checks for regulated industries
The format changes. The purpose does not.
As part of onboarding for government, education, healthcare, finance, or security sensitive roles
What I do not like is when employers ask every applicant for references upfront before any meaningful conversation. That is usually poor process. Candidates should not have to hand over referee details before the employer has shown genuine interest. Your referees are real people, not free admin resources for a hiring funnel.
If an employer asks for references too early, it is reasonable to say you are happy to provide them once you are further along in the process.
Good response:
“I’m happy to provide references once we reach the final stage of the process. My referees are aware I’m looking, but I prefer to share their details when there is a clear mutual interest.”
That is professional, not difficult.
No, you usually do not need to put references on your resume in Australia. Unless the job ad specifically asks for referee details, keep them off your resume and prepare a separate reference list instead.
This is a simple rule, but candidates still get it wrong.
Your resume has one job: to get you shortlisted. Referee details rarely help with that. They take up space, expose other people’s contact details unnecessarily, and can create awkward privacy issues if your resume is shared across teams, recruiters, hiring managers, or applicant tracking systems.
In most Australian job applications, these are better options:
Leave references off the resume entirely
Prepare a separate reference document
Provide references only when requested
Use “References available on request” only if it fits neatly and does not waste valuable resume space
Personally, I do not think “References available on request” adds much. Recruiters already know references are available if the process gets there. It is a bit like writing “I own shoes” before attending an interview. Nice, but not exactly persuasive.
There are exceptions. Some public sector, education, healthcare, and community sector applications may ask for referees upfront. If the application form specifically requires them, provide them. If it does not, keep them separate.
The best job references are people who have directly managed you, worked closely with you, or can credibly speak about your performance in a relevant professional context. A strong referee is not just someone who likes you. It is someone whose opinion carries weight for the role you want.
This is where candidates often choose emotionally instead of strategically.
A nice colleague who says you are lovely may not be as useful as a former manager who can clearly explain your responsibilities, results, judgement, reliability, and how you handled pressure. Employers do not only want compliments. They want useful confirmation.
Strong reference choices include:
A recent direct manager
A previous team leader or supervisor
A senior colleague who worked closely with you
A client or stakeholder, if relevant to the role
A project manager who oversaw your work
A business owner or director from a smaller company
A mentor or professional contact, if you are early career
A teacher, lecturer, placement supervisor, or volunteer coordinator for entry level candidates
The best referee depends on your situation. For a senior leadership role, a peer or board level stakeholder may be valuable. For an administration role, a direct manager who can speak about accuracy, responsiveness, and reliability is more useful. For a sales role, someone who can speak about targets, client management, resilience, and pipeline discipline matters more than a general character reference.
A weak reference choice usually has one of these problems:
They barely remember your work
They only know you personally
They cannot explain your results
They left the company before seeing your performance properly
They are too junior to carry much credibility
They are enthusiastic but vague
They are connected to a role that is not relevant to the job you want
Here is the part candidates do not always want to hear: a reference who says “they were great” is not automatically strong. Vague positivity can actually feel suspicious. Hiring managers listen for detail. They trust examples more than adjectives.
Weak Example:
“Simar was great to work with and everyone liked her.”
That sounds nice, but it does not tell the employer much.
Good Example:
“Simar managed a high volume recruitment portfolio, kept hiring managers updated without being chased, and was particularly strong at pushing back when role requirements were unrealistic.”
That gives the employer something useful. It shows behaviour, context, and judgement.
Employers usually ask questions about your role, performance, strengths, work style, reliability, areas for development, reason for leaving, and whether the referee would hire or work with you again.
That last question matters more than candidates realise.
A reference check often includes questions like:
What was the candidate’s role and reporting line?
How long did you work with them?
What were their main responsibilities?
How would you describe their performance?
What were their main strengths?
What areas did they need to improve?
How did they handle pressure, deadlines, or conflict?
How did they work with managers, colleagues, clients, or stakeholders?
Were they reliable and professional?
Why did they leave the role?
Would you rehire them?
Is there anything we should know before making a hiring decision?
The question behind all those questions is usually this:
“Will this candidate behave in the workplace the way they presented themselves during the interview?”
That is what employers are trying to close. The gap between interview performance and workplace reality.
Candidates often think references are only there to confirm employment dates. Some employers do that, especially for compliance or background checking. But many hiring managers want a more useful conversation. They are listening for patterns.
They notice if the referee sounds warm or cautious. They notice if the answers are specific or vague. They notice if the referee needs to be prompted repeatedly. They notice if the referee avoids answering whether they would rehire you.
Nobody needs to say, “Do not hire this person” for damage to happen. Sometimes the damage is in the pause.
A strong reference is specific, relevant, credible, and consistent with the role you are applying for. It should confirm the story you have already told through your resume, interview, and application.
This is where good candidate positioning continues beyond the interview. If you have presented yourself as a calm, organised operations coordinator, your referee should ideally confirm that you were calm, organised, and effective in operational work. If you have sold yourself as a relationship driven account manager, your referee should be able to speak about clients, communication, follow up, and commercial outcomes.
A strong reference usually has these qualities:
The referee knows your work well
Their job title gives their opinion credibility
Their examples match the role you are targeting
They can describe your strengths without sounding rehearsed
They can discuss development areas fairly and constructively
They are easy to contact and willing to respond
They understand the type of role you are applying for
Their feedback matches how you presented yourself in interview
That last point is important. References should not feel like a completely different version of you.
If you told the employer you are highly strategic, but your referee only talks about task execution, that creates a gap. If you positioned yourself as independent, but your referee says you needed a lot of guidance, the employer will notice. If you described yourself as collaborative, but your referee hints that you struggled with feedback, that can shift the hiring decision.
Consistency builds trust.
A good reference does not need to pretend you are flawless. Actually, references that make someone sound perfect can feel fake. Employers know people have development areas. What they want is balanced, realistic feedback that does not introduce serious risk.
A strong development area might sound like:
“She can take on too much because she wants to be helpful, but she became much better at prioritising and pushing back when workload needed to be managed.”
That is credible. It shows self awareness and improvement.
A concerning development area might sound like:
“We had to work with her quite a bit on communication and reliability.”
That is a problem, especially if the role requires trust, responsiveness, and autonomy.
Ask someone before you list them as a reference. Always. Do not surprise people with reference calls.
This should be obvious, but recruitment has taught me that “obvious” is where many hiring problems like to hide.
A referee who gets an unexpected call may still say yes, but they will not be prepared. They may give vague answers, forget key achievements, or sound unsure. That can weaken your application even if they genuinely like you.
When asking someone to be your referee, give them context:
The type of role you are applying for
The company or industry, if you can share it
Why you think they are a good reference
The strengths you are hoping they can speak to
Any specific achievements or projects worth remembering
Whether the employer may contact them soon
Your current resume or LinkedIn profile, if helpful
Here is a simple message you can use.
Good Example:
“Hi [Name], I hope you’re well. I’m in the final stages for a [role title] position and wanted to ask whether you’d be comfortable acting as a reference for me. The role is focused on [key responsibilities], and I thought you’d be a strong referee because we worked closely together on [project, role, or responsibility]. I’m happy to send through my resume and a quick summary of the role so you have the context. No pressure at all if the timing is not convenient.”
This works because it is respectful, specific, and practical. You are not asking them to invent a glowing speech. You are helping them give accurate, relevant feedback.
Before giving out a referee’s details, confirm:
Their current job title
Their preferred phone number
Their email address
Their availability
Whether they are comfortable being contacted
Whether they understand the role you are applying for
Do not assume old details are still correct. People change jobs, numbers, email addresses, and sometimes their willingness to be contacted. Candidates often underestimate how much small admin sloppiness can affect momentum. If a recruiter cannot reach your referees for days, the process can stall. If another candidate’s references are done quickly, that can matter.
Hiring is not always fair, but it is often very momentum driven.
You do not always need to use your current manager as a reference, especially if your job search is confidential. In Australia, it is normal to say that your current employer is not aware you are looking and that references from your current workplace can be provided only at offer stage or not at all.
This is a practical reality, not a red flag.
Most recruiters understand that candidates cannot risk their current employment just to satisfy a premature reference request. If an employer insists on contacting your current manager before you have a firm offer, be careful. That is not a small request. That is your income, reputation, and workplace stability.
You can say:
“I’m happy to provide references, but my current employer is not aware I’m exploring opportunities. I can provide previous managers now and discuss a current employer reference once we are at offer stage.”
That is reasonable.
If you cannot use your current manager, choose alternatives:
A previous manager from your current company who has moved on
A senior stakeholder who knows your work and can be discreet
A former manager from a previous role
A project lead or cross functional manager
A client, supplier, or external stakeholder, if appropriate
A previous employer who can speak strongly about your performance
The important thing is to avoid looking evasive. Explain the reason clearly and professionally. Employers are usually fine with discretion. What makes them nervous is vagueness.
Weak Example:
“I don’t want you contacting anyone from my current job.”
That can sound defensive.
Good Example:
“My search is confidential because I’m currently employed. I can provide two previous managers now, and if we reach offer stage, we can discuss whether a current employer reference is appropriate.”
That gives context and a solution.
Yes, a bad reference can stop you getting the job. More commonly, a weak or uncertain reference can create enough doubt for an employer to delay, reduce confidence, request another referee, or choose another candidate.
This is the part many candidates underestimate. They imagine a bad reference as something dramatic, like a former manager angrily criticising them. That can happen, but it is not the usual pattern.
The more common risk is subtle:
The referee sounds hesitant
The feedback is vague
The strengths do not match the role
The referee avoids direct answers
The reason for leaving does not match what the candidate said
The referee gives faint praise
The referee raises concerns in a diplomatic way
The referee says they would work with the candidate again, but not enthusiastically
The referee confirms technical skills but questions attitude, reliability, communication, or pace
Hiring managers are not only listening to the words. They are listening to confidence.
A reference saying “yes, they were fine” is not the same as “yes, I would absolutely hire them again”. One keeps the process alive. The other strengthens the offer decision.
If you are worried about a previous employer giving a poor reference, do not panic, but be strategic. Choose referees who can speak fairly and accurately. If there is a difficult situation in your history, prepare your explanation before the employer hears a different version.
For example, if you left a role after a restructure, toxic manager, performance disagreement, probation issue, or short tenure, think carefully about how to frame it. Do not overshare. Do not attack the employer. But do not walk into a reference check pretending there is no context.
A good recruiter will often ask directly if there is anything they should be aware of before references are contacted. That is not always a trap. Sometimes it is a chance to explain the situation before someone else defines it for you.
If you do not have traditional job references, use people who can credibly speak about your reliability, work ethic, skills, learning ability, and conduct. This is common for students, graduates, migrants, career changers, people returning to work, and candidates who have been self employed.
You still need proof of trust. It just may come from a different source.
Good alternatives can include:
A placement supervisor
A lecturer or course coordinator
A volunteer manager
A sports coach, if the role is entry level and work references are unavailable
A client from freelance or self employed work
A business partner or supplier
A community leader connected to structured responsibilities
A manager from casual, retail, hospitality, or part time work
A senior colleague from project work
A previous manager from overseas employment
For migrants applying in Australia, overseas references can still be useful. The challenge is not that they are overseas. The challenge is whether the Australian employer can contact them, understand the context, and trust the relevance.
If your references are overseas, make it easy:
Provide the correct country code
Check time zones
Confirm they are comfortable speaking in English, if required
Explain their relationship to you clearly
Provide email and phone options
Let the employer know the best contact method
Prepare local references where possible through Australian work, volunteering, study, or placements
For career changers, choose referees who can speak to transferable skills. If you are moving from retail management into administration, a store manager who can discuss rostering, reporting, customer complaints, compliance, stock control, and staff coordination may be more valuable than you think. Do not dismiss experience because it comes from a different industry. Hiring managers often care about behaviour and judgement as much as technical overlap.
For self employed candidates, references can be harder because you may not have a manager. Use clients or stakeholders who can speak about delivery, communication, reliability, commercial judgement, and results. Avoid only using friends or family clients. That looks too soft.
Most Australian employers ask for two professional references. Some may ask for three, especially for senior, government, education, healthcare, or compliance heavy roles.
Have at least two strong referees ready before you start serious job searching. Ideally, keep three in reserve. That gives you flexibility if one person is unavailable, travelling, slow to respond, or not the best fit for a specific role.
A good reference list should include:
Referee name
Current job title
Company
Relationship to you
Phone number
Email address
Best contact time, if relevant
Brief context, if useful
You do not need to write a long biography for each referee. Keep it clean and professional.
Good Example:
Referee: Sarah Nguyen
Current role: Operations Manager, Brightline Services
Relationship: Direct manager at Brightline Services from 2021 to 2024
Phone: [phone number]
Email: [email address]
That is enough.
If you are providing references by email, add a short note:
“Please find below two professional referees who have agreed to be contacted. I have also briefed them on the role and they are expecting contact.”
That tells the recruiter you are organised and that the referees are prepared. Small detail, but it helps.
Most reference mistakes are avoidable. The problem is that candidates often treat references as admin instead of part of their hiring strategy.
Here are the mistakes I see most often.
A referee who likes you but cannot explain your contribution is weak. Employers need detail. They want evidence that your interview story holds up.
If your referee can only say you were friendly, punctual, or a good team player, that may not be enough for a competitive role. Choose people who can describe what you actually did.
Even strong referees need context. They may not remember every achievement, project, system, client group, or responsibility. Help them help you.
Send them the role title, job ad, and a short reminder of what you worked on together. This is not about coaching them to lie. It is about helping them give relevant feedback instead of scrambling through memory while a recruiter waits on the phone.
You do not need to hand over references before an employer has shown serious interest. Early reference requests can waste your referees’ time and risk confidentiality.
If the process is not yet serious, politely hold back.
Do not use someone because you feel obligated. Use someone because they can speak fairly, constructively, and credibly.
If you are unsure what someone would say, ask them directly:
“Would you feel comfortable providing a positive professional reference for me?”
That wording matters. You are not just asking whether they will be a reference. You are asking whether they can support your application.
If your references have been contacted and the process goes quiet, do not immediately assume disaster. Hiring can be slow for many reasons. But if you know one referee may have been weak, it is reasonable to follow up professionally.
A simple message is enough:
“Just checking whether you need any further referee details from me. I’m happy to provide another contact if helpful.”
Do not sound anxious. Give them an easy next step.
If your resume says one thing, your interview says another, and your referee says something else, trust drops quickly.
Dates, reporting lines, job titles, reasons for leaving, responsibilities, and performance claims should be consistent. They do not need to be robotic copies of each other, but they should tell the same story.
Unless you are applying for a very early entry level role and have no other option, avoid family and friends. Employers know they are biased. Personal references rarely carry the same weight as professional referees.
If you genuinely have no work history, use structured alternatives such as teachers, volunteer supervisors, placement managers, or community leaders connected to real responsibilities.
Hiring language can sound polite and harmless, but there is often a practical meaning underneath it. Understanding that meaning helps you respond better.
When an employer says, “We just need to complete references,” they usually mean they are close to making a decision, but the decision is not final.
When they say, “Can you provide another referee?” they may mean one referee was unavailable, incomplete, too vague, or raised a concern they want to test against another source.
When they say, “Do you have a more recent manager?” they usually want someone closer to your current performance level. A manager from ten years ago may not reassure them about how you work now.
When they say, “We prefer a direct manager,” they are trying to avoid character references, peers, or people who cannot assess accountability.
When they ask, “Would your current manager be available?” they may be testing whether there is a reason they should be concerned. You can protect confidentiality, but explain it clearly.
When they ask, “Is there anything we should know before we contact referees?” they may be giving you a chance to disclose context. Use judgement. This is not an invitation to dump your entire employment history trauma folder on the table, tempting as that may be after certain workplaces.
The best approach is calm transparency. Not defensive. Not overexplained. Just clear.
References should support your overall candidate positioning. They are part of the same story your resume, LinkedIn profile, interviews, and application materials are telling.
Before you give references, ask yourself:
What is the employer most likely trying to verify?
Which referee can speak best to that concern?
Does this referee understand the role I am applying for?
Will their feedback match how I have positioned myself?
Are they recent enough to be credible?
Are they senior enough to carry weight?
Are they available and prepared?
Different roles may need different referees.
For a people leadership role, choose someone who can speak about team management, performance conversations, conflict, stakeholder management, and judgement.
For a customer service role, choose someone who can speak about communication, patience, problem solving, reliability, and handling difficult customers.
For a finance role, choose someone who can speak about accuracy, controls, deadlines, systems, confidentiality, and accountability.
For a project role, choose someone who can speak about delivery, coordination, risk, stakeholder communication, and follow through.
For an entry level role, choose someone who can speak about attitude, learning speed, reliability, initiative, and professionalism.
That is the level of thinking that separates “I have references” from “I have the right references for this role”.
And one final thing: keep your referees warm. If someone supports you, thank them. Let them know the outcome. Do not disappear after they have taken time to help. Aside from being basic manners, it keeps the professional relationship alive for the future.
Before you send referee details to an Australian employer, check that you have done the following:
Chosen two to three relevant professional referees
Asked each person for permission
Confirmed their current contact details
Briefed them on the role and employer
Sent them your resume or role summary if useful
Checked whether they are available
Matched each referee to the role you are applying for
Avoided using your current manager unless it is safe
Prepared an explanation if your current employer is confidential
Ensured your resume, interview answers, and referee feedback are consistent
Kept referee details off your resume unless requested
Prepared a separate clean reference list
Thanked your referees after the process
References are not just a final formality. They are a trust check. Handle them like part of the hiring decision, because that is exactly what they are.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
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