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The page that goes with the resume

References Page Template

When an employer finally asks for references, the answer should already be a formatted page — not four names typed into an email at midnight. These three templates hold four references each, with the field most people forget: how you know them, and for how long. Match the design to your resume, fill it in once, and keep it ready.

Three designs

Pick the one that matches your resume.

Same structure in each — four reference entries with name, title, company, relationship, and contact — in three registers so the page can sit beside any resume design without clashing.

Credentials — Navy
Bold name, target-role line, and a clean accent rule — pairs with modern resume designs.
Formal — Green
Letterspaced name in a formal register, for traditional fields and conservative employers.
Classic Serif — Warm
A serif header with a quiet ornament — for design, hospitality, education, and nonprofit applications.
Get it right

What separates a good references page.

A references page looks like the easiest document in the application, and it is — right up until a recruiter calls someone who wasn’t expecting it. Three habits prevent that:

  • Ask every person first, then tell them when you list them. A warned reference gives a specific answer; a surprised one gives a careful, useless one.
  • Include the relationship with dates — “direct manager, 2021–2025”. It tells the reader how much weight the answer deserves before they dial.
  • Match the letterhead to your resume — same name treatment, same accent. A packet that looks authored beats one that looks assembled.

And keep it separate. Nothing about references belongs on the resume itself — not the names, and not the phrase “references available upon request,” which every employer already assumes.

Ten minutes, once

Fill it in before you need it.

  1. Download the design closest to your resume, and put your own name and target role in the header.
  2. Add four references: name, title, company, relationship with dates, phone and email.
  3. Ask each person’s permission, send them the job description, then save the PDF and keep it ready to send the day it’s requested.
Common questions

References page FAQ

Should I put references on my resume itself?
No — space on a resume is too valuable, and employers don't want them until later in the process. Keep references on a separate page and bring it to the interview or send it when asked. That also lets you tailor which references you list to the specific job, which you can't do if they're printed on the resume.
Do I need to write “References available upon request”?
No, and it's worth deleting if it's still there. Every employer assumes references are available; the line consumes a resume line to say nothing. A separate references page, ready to send the moment it's asked for, does the real work that phrase was pretending to do.
How many references should the page list?
Three or four is standard, which is why these templates hold four. Aim for a mix: a direct manager, a colleague or client who saw your work closely, and someone who can speak to character. If a posting specifies a number or type — “two professional and one academic” — follow their instruction exactly.
What should each reference entry include?
Full name, job title, company, your relationship with dates, and the contact method they prefer (usually phone and email). The relationship line is the one people forget and the one that helps most: “direct manager, 2021–2025” tells a recruiter instantly how much weight to give what they hear.
Do I need to ask my references first?
Always — both as courtesy and as strategy. An unprepared reference gives a vague answer; a warned one gives a specific, useful endorsement. Send them the job description and a line about what you'd like emphasized. Then tell them when you've listed them, so a surprise call never happens.

References page templates · Updated August 2026

The rest of the packet

What goes with it.

The main document
Resume Templates
50+ role-specific categories — pick the one for your field and match this page to it.
Open
If they want letters
Reference Letter Templates
Some employers want written letters, not a call list — hand your references one that's already written.
Open
The ask
How to Ask for a Reference
Scripts for asking a supervisor, professor, or friend — timing rules and the graceful out.
Open