Preparing references – Page 2

Reconnect warmly, remind them who you are and what you worked on together, update them on your career and then ask. Give them an easy way to decline.

Example:
"Dear Mrs Fernandes,

I hope you are well. I worked in your accounts team at Crescent Foods from 2018 to 2021, where I led the move to electronic invoicing. Since then I have qualified as an ACCA member and now work as a finance supervisor.

I am applying for financial controller roles and wondered whether you would be willing to act as a referee. I would send you my CV and details of each role. I fully understand if you would prefer not to.

Kind regards,
Rania Aziz"

If they agree, send a short summary of your work together, as their memory of details may have faded.

Ask during your notice period, while your work is fresh in your manager's mind and your relationship is good. Asking months later is possible, but harder.

What to do before you leave:

• Ask your manager whether they would act as a referee in future.
• Request a written reference letter if they are willing.
• Request an experience letter or service certificate from HR, if that is common where you work.
• Save their personal contact details in case they move on.

Finish your notice period well, with a proper handover. The last few weeks strongly shape how a manager remembers you.

Contact them at their new organisation or personal email; they can still speak about your work. Being made redundant together often makes managers willing to help.

Steps:

• Exchange personal contact details before you both leave, if possible.
• Ask whether they are happy to be contacted at their new job.
• List their former title and organisation, plus their current one, on your reference list.

Example entry: "Mr Daniel Ruiz, now Operations Lead at Harbour Freight. Formerly my direct manager at Atlas Logistics (closed operations in 2025)."

Ask HR for a letter confirming your dates and role before the office closes, as records may be harder to obtain later.

Simply stop listing them, and if they are expecting calls, send a short, friendly note. You do not owe a detailed explanation.

Example:
"Hi Sanjay, thank you again for being a referee during my search. I wanted to let you know that I will not need to trouble you for references for now. I really appreciate your help."

Situations where this happens:

• A more recent or relevant referee becomes available.
• The referee has moved on and is hard to reach.
• You suspect they are giving lukewarm references.

Keep the relationship positive; you may want their help again in future.

Usually the manager at the client company who supervised your daily work, plus the agency consultant if they knew your performance. The client manager saw your work directly; the agency can confirm dates and contract details.

Tips:

• Ask the agency whether client managers are allowed to give references directly.
• Make the relationship clear: "Supervisor at Pearl Hotels; I worked there through Swift Staffing, 2024–2025."
• Keep the agency's contact details for confirmation of dates.

If you completed several short placements, choose the longest or most relevant ones for references.

Use the client-site supervisor who managed your daily work as your main referee, and the outsourcing company's HR for your official employment record. This arrangement, sometimes called manpower supply, is common in the Gulf and South Asia.

On your reference list:

• "Mr Faisal Al Amri, Maintenance Manager, Gulf Petro Services (client site). Supervised my work daily, 2022–2025."
• "HR Department, Sunrise Manpower Services (my employer). Can confirm dates and contract."

Ask the client supervisor's permission first; some client companies have policies about giving references for contractors. Your experience letter will usually come from the company that employed you on paper.

Yes, as an extra referee, especially for management roles, but not as your only one. A former direct report can describe your leadership style, while employers will usually still want a manager's view of your performance.

When it helps:

• Leadership-focused roles where team management is central.
• Executive searches, where "360-degree" views are common.

Describe the relationship clearly: "Team Leader who reported to me, 2021–2024." Choose someone who has since moved on or is senior enough that being asked does not create an awkward situation at your current workplace.

Some do, especially for senior roles or in small industries where people know each other. These are sometimes called informal or "backdoor" references. Practices and privacy rules differ by country and employer.

What you can do:

• Assume your reputation travels; leave every job as professionally as possible.
• If you are worried about a particular person, prepare your own referees well so their views carry weight.
• If you have concerns about how your personal data is used, check official data protection guidance in your country.

You cannot control every informal conversation, but strong listed referees and a consistent, honest work history are the best protection.

A third-party screening company may contact your referees or former employers on the employer's behalf to confirm dates, titles and sometimes performance. You usually give consent and fill in an online form first.

How to prepare:

• Enter dates and titles exactly as on your CV and employment documents.
• Tell your referees to expect contact from the screening company, not the employer.
• Ask them to check spam folders for automated emails.
• Keep copies of experience letters, contracts and payslips in case the company asks for proof.

If a former employer is slow to reply, offer the screening company alternative evidence. Ask the recruiter if anything is pending, as these checks can take time.

Only if that role is highly relevant and the manager knows your work well. A referee from a longer role usually carries more weight.

When a short job referee makes sense:

• It is your most recent role and directly matches the new job.
• You achieved something specific the manager can describe.
• It was a contract with a clear end date.

Otherwise, use managers from longer roles and be ready to explain the short job briefly if asked. Make sure your referee's version of why the role ended matches yours.

Send the updated details to the recruiter straight away, and tell your referee to expect contact. An out-of-date email or phone number can delay a reference by days.

Example:
"Dear Ms Barakat,

Please note that one of my referees, Mr Tariq Hamid, has a new email address: tariq.hamid@example.com. His phone number remains the same.

Kind regards,
Layla Jaber"

If you applied through a portal, check whether you can update referee details there too. Keep your master reference list current so this does not happen again.

A former commanding officer, supervisor or senior non-commissioned officer who saw your daily work, plus a civilian referee if you have one. Make sure they can describe your skills in plain, civilian terms.

Tips:

• Explain on your list what the relationship was: "My direct supervisor in a logistics unit, 2019–2025."
• Brief referees on the civilian role and the skills it needs.
• Ask them to avoid unexplained ranks and acronyms when speaking to civilian employers.
• Add a referee from any civilian course, volunteering or part-time work.

Follow any rules your service has about giving references or sharing information.

Yes, especially when you cannot reach your manager, but HR usually only confirms factual details such as dates and job title. Pair it with a personal referee who can speak about your performance.

Format:
"HR Department, Blue Sky Engineering, Abu Dhabi
hr@example.com, +971 2 000 0000
Can confirm employment dates and job title."

Ask HR beforehand whether they respond to reference requests by email, phone or only through a verification portal. Make sure your employee number or exact dates are on hand to help them find your record.

Sometimes. Some reference checks or employment verifications ask a former employer to confirm pay, while others do not. Practices and rules on salary questions vary by country and employer.

What to do:

• Ask the recruiter what the reference check covers.
• Make sure anything you said about past pay is accurate, because it may be checked.
• Let referees decide what they are comfortable sharing; many personal referees do not discuss pay at all.

Never ask a referee to confirm inaccurate figures. If you are unsure what you are required to share, check official guidance in the country where you are applying.

Ask whether the employer can take the reference in another language or in writing, or choose a referee who can communicate comfortably in the employer's language. A referee who struggles on a call may sound less positive than they mean.

Options:

• Tell the recruiter: "My referee prefers to communicate in Arabic or in writing."
• Ask the referee for a written reference letter, accurately translated if needed.
• Add a second referee who speaks English fluently.

Do not answer on your referee's behalf or translate during the call yourself; the reference must come from them.

It depends. Reference letters given to you are visible, but references sent directly to employers are usually confidential. In some countries, data protection rules give you rights to request personal data an organisation holds about you, but there may be exceptions for references.

Practical options:

• Ask your referee directly what they said; many will tell you.
• Ask for a copy of any written reference before it is sent.
• Check official data protection guidance in your country if you want to make a formal request.

This is general information, not legal advice. The simplest route is choosing referees you trust and talking with them openly.

Yes, it helps if your explanation and theirs match. Employers often ask referees why you left, and inconsistent answers can raise concerns.

How to handle it:

• Tell referees the reason you give employers, such as "seeking a larger role" or "relocation".
• Make sure it is true; never ask a referee to give a false reason.
• If the parting was difficult, agree on a fair, neutral description together.

Example: "I am telling employers I left to move into a supervisory role, since there was no opening at the time. Does that match how you would describe it?"

Possibly. A supervisor or colleague who saw your good work may still be willing, and HR may confirm dates and title. Be honest with yourself about who would speak fairly.

Steps:

• Approach someone who worked with you closely and was not involved in the dismissal.
• Ask HR what their reference policy is; some only confirm facts.
• Use referees from other jobs to give a fuller picture.

If an employer asks directly about why you left, answer honestly and briefly, and focus on what you learned. Do not ask a referee to hide the dismissal.

Usually a recent clinical supervisor, such as a nurse manager, head of department or senior clinician who directly observed your practice. Healthcare employers often want references that cover clinical skills, patient safety and professional conduct.

Tips:

• Choose referees from your most recent clinical roles.
• Check whether the employer or regulator asks for a specific format or a reference covering a set period.
• Brief referees on the specialty and setting of the new role.
• Keep licence numbers and expiry dates ready separately; referees are not a substitute for licence checks.

If your role or country requires licence verification, follow the regulator's process as well as the employer's reference request.

It helps when the referee writes on behalf of their organisation, as letterhead shows the reference is official. If they are writing personally, a letter with their full contact details and signature is fine.

A credible written reference includes:

• The referee's name, title, organisation and contact details.
• Date of writing.
• How long and in what capacity they know you.
• Your title, dates and main responsibilities.
• Specific strengths with examples.
• A signature.

Some organisations do not allow staff to use letterhead for personal references; respect that. Keep a PDF copy and the original, if it is a paper letter.

Yes. Before you relocate, ask managers for written reference letters and get any experience letters from HR. Referees become harder to reach across time zones and after they change jobs.

What to collect:

• Signed reference letters from one or two managers.
• Experience letters or employment certificates.
• Copies of key certificates and appraisals, if allowed.
• Up-to-date personal contact details for your referees.

Store scanned copies safely in the cloud. Overseas employers may still want to speak to referees, but having letters ready speeds things up and helps if a referee becomes unreachable.

Call at a convenient time, remind them who you are, explain what you are applying for and ask directly, then follow up in writing. A phone call feels personal and is often welcomed by busy managers.

Script:
"Hi Mr Owusu, this is Kofi Mensah. I worked in your sales team until last year. I am applying for regional sales roles and wondered whether you would be willing to be one of my referees. … Thank you so much. I will email you my CV and the details of the roles."

Afterwards, send an email confirming the contact details they want employers to use and attach your CV. If they hesitate on the call, let them off politely.

No. Giving false referees, invented companies or paid "reference" services is dishonest, and it can lead to a withdrawn offer or dismissal if discovered, even years later. In some countries it may also have legal consequences.

Honest alternatives:

• A colleague, client or supervisor from any relevant role.
• A teacher, course tutor or volunteer coordinator.
• HR confirmation of dates, plus experience letters or contracts.
• Being open with the employer about why references are limited.

Employers deal with limited references regularly, especially for graduates, returners and people who moved countries. A short, honest explanation is far safer than a fake reference.

Yes. A referee can ask the employer for the questions in advance or ask to answer in writing, and many employers agree. This helps referees give accurate, considered answers.

How to support it:

• Tell your referee they can request the questions or a written form.
• Pass on any information the recruiter gives you about the format.
• Remind them of key facts: your dates, title and main achievements together.

Some employers prefer a live call to hear spontaneous answers. If so, your referee can still ask for a few minutes to check records before answering factual questions.

Keep one master list with each referee's details, when you last spoke, which employers may contact them and any preferences they have. This keeps you organised and avoids overloading anyone.

Columns to track:

• Name, title, organisation, phone and email.
• Relationship and dates worked together.
• Preferred contact method and time zone.
• Employers you gave their details to, with dates.
• Notes on what they are best placed to talk about.

Check in with referees every few months, and update details as they change jobs. When you start a new role, update your list and thank everyone who helped.