References are people who can confirm what your CV says. In South Africa most employers phone them near the end of the process, so choose people who will pick up and speak well of your work.
Who to choose
- A recent manager or supervisor. This carries the most weight.
- A senior colleague or client who saw your work closely.
- For students and first jobs: a lecturer, teacher, coach or volunteer coordinator.
How to list them
Give two or three references with name, job title, company, phone number and email, and say how they know you (for example, “my manager at Shoprite, 2022–2024”).
Builder tip: Add references as the last section of your CV, or leave them out and write “References available on request” if space is tight.
Ask first
Always ask permission before you list someone. Send them the job advert and your CV so they know what to highlight. It is also polite to let them know when an employer may call.
Avoid: family members and friends as references, old numbers that no longer work, and people you have not spoken to in years.