How Many Professional References Should I Provide?

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In a recent online conversation among career professionals, the optimal number of references to provide a potential employer was discussed. The consensus was that providing too many references could be off-putting, confusing, and even disrespectful towards a potential employer’s time and resources – an example that yes, too much of a good thing can be bad.

The group agreed that it’s in a job seeker’s best interest to be strategic and targeted with which references they provide. The ideal number of references to provide is 3 to 4. Any more than that can run the risk of someone slipping and giving a less than stellar comment or something that could be misconstrued – assuming the employer even contacts all the names provided.

I advise clients to keep a master list of references from which they can pull the most appropriate 3 (max 4) to provide for a particular position. I also recommend clients contact references whose names and contact information is being provided so they are not caught off-guard by a call. There are 2 advantages to the job seeker of doing this:

• Allows you to guide the reference on which strengths or professional skills are most relevant for this opportunity
• Provides a valid opportunity to catch up and check in with a person in your network

Along related lines, most hiring companies today check social media during the hiring process so it’s smart to have several recommendations on your LinkedIn profile.

About Laurie Berenson

Laurie Berenson is a Master-level resume writer and founder of Sterling Career Concepts, LLC. Through both her private client practice and online courses, she works with senior professionals and rising executives to their turn job search stress into job search success. Download her top strategies for free in her latest publication, The Ultimate Toolkit for Job Search Success. 

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