Build AI CV
You have reached the last heading on your CV and you are not sure what to write under it. A referee section with a missing phone number, a vague job title or the wrong person can slow down a job offer at the very end, after the interview has gone well. You may lose days while the employer tries to reach someone, or lose the offer to a candidate whose referees answered first.
Below you will find seven referee in CV examples you can copy and adapt: the standard layout, a trade job, a nurse or carer, a first job, a self-employed worker, a referee in another country, and the short "available on request" version. Each one comes with notes on when to use it.
What a good referee entry must show
Every example in this article uses the same five lines. An employer scanning your CV on a phone should find each one in a second, without opening an email or searching a company website.
- Full name, written the way the person answers the phone.
- Job title they held when they knew your work, for example "Site Supervisor" rather than "Manager".
- Workplace, city and country, so the reader understands the context. Add the country when you are applying abroad.
- How they know you, in six to ten words: "Supervised my work on two hospital fit-outs, 2022 to 2024."
- Phone number with the country code and an email address, both checked before you send the CV.
Keep the order of these lines the same for every referee. When the layout repeats, the reader stops looking for information and starts reading it.
Formatting details that save the employer time
- Write phone numbers in international format, such as +61 4xx xxx xxx or +44 7xxx xxxxxx, with spaces in small groups.
- Use a work email where the referee still has one. A personal email is fine when they have changed jobs, but say so.
- Put the heading the country expects: "Referees" is common in Australia and New Zealand, "References" in the UK, Canada and the United States.
- Put the section last. It is the final thing an employer checks, so it belongs at the end of the document.
Seven referee in CV examples you can copy
All names, phone numbers and workplaces below are fictional. Replace every detail with your own referee's information, and only after they have agreed.
Example 1: the standard layout for most jobs
Referees
Daniel Okafor
Operations Supervisor, Harbourline Logistics, Brisbane, Australia
Supervised my warehouse shifts, March 2022 to June 2025
+61 4xx xxx 218 | d.okafor@example.comPriya Raman
Team Leader, Westgate Distribution, Brisbane, Australia
My direct team leader in my first role, 2019 to 2022
+61 4xx xxx 904 | priya.raman@example.com
Use this when you have two recent employers and both supervisors are happy to talk. Two referees from two workplaces show a longer and more varied picture than two people from one team.
Example 2: a trade job with a site supervisor
Referees
Tomás Ferreira
Site Foreman, Coastline Builders, Auckland, New Zealand
Checked my formwork and framing on three residential sites, 2023 to 2025
+64 21 xxx 4471 | tomas.f@example.com
In construction, mechanical and electrical work, the person who inspected your work on site often knows your skills better than anyone in the office. Name the kind of work they checked, so the employer knows which questions to ask. If you are listing a licence or ticket elsewhere on the CV, the referee line can point to the jobs where you used it.
Example 3: a nurse, carer or support worker
Referees
Grace Mensah
Nurse Unit Manager, Medical Ward, St Clare Hospital, Accra, Ghana
My line manager for four years on a 30-bed medical ward
+233 24 xxx 7712 | g.mensah@example.com
Health and care employers usually want to hear from someone who saw your clinical or personal care work directly, such as a nurse unit manager, clinical nurse educator or care coordinator. Write the ward or service type, because it tells the reader straight away what kind of patients or clients you looked after. If you are still in that job and your manager does not know you are applying, see the note after Example 6.
Example 4: your first job, an apprenticeship or a career change
References
Hannah Lindqvist
Course Coordinator, Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, Northside Training College, Melbourne, Australia
Supervised my practical kitchen assessments and 12-week work placement, 2025
+61 3 xxxx 5530 | h.lindqvist@example.com
Without much paid work behind you, a trainer, teacher or placement supervisor can speak for your skills, reliability and attitude. Be exact about what they saw: "practical kitchen assessments" tells an employer more than "my teacher". Add a second referee from a part-time or volunteer role if you have one.
Example 5: self-employed or contracting
Referees
Leilani Fonoti
Property Manager, Bayview Apartments, Wellington, New Zealand
Hired me as the painting contractor for 14 units in 2024 and inspected the finished work
+64 27 xxx 3308 | l.fonoti@example.com
When you work for yourself there is no boss to call, so choose a regular client or the main contractor who hired you. The line about how they know you matters even more here: it should name a real job with a size or a number, not just "satisfied customer".
Example 6: a referee in another country
Referees
Ahmed Siddiqui
Maintenance Manager, Gulfshore Facilities Management, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
My manager for five years as an HVAC technician
+971 50 xxx 2264 (WhatsApp) | a.siddiqui@example.com
Best time to call: 9am to 1pm UAE time (UTC+4). Speaks English and Arabic.
An employer in Sydney or London may hesitate to make an international call at a guess. Add the time zone, the best hours to call, whether the number takes WhatsApp, and the language the referee speaks. Those two extra lines remove the reasons to put the check off.
A note on current employers: if you cannot name your current manager yet, it is fine to write "Current employer reference available after an offer" under your other referees. Most employers understand that you are protecting your present job.
Example 7: "references available on request"
References
Available on request.
Use this short version when the job ad does not ask for referees, when you need the space for experience, or when you want to choose different referees for each employer. It is common in the UK. If the ad asks you to list referees, never use this line; give the names and numbers it asks for.
Choosing the right example for each country
Customs differ between the countries skilled workers apply to most. This table is a starting point; the job ad always comes first.
| Country or region | Usual heading | Typical approach |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Referees | Two full entries at the end are common, often checked by phone near the offer stage |
| New Zealand | Referees | Two or three full entries, usually expected on the CV itself |
| United Kingdom | References | Often "available on request" on the CV, with details given later in the process |
| Canada | References | Usually a separate reference list sent when asked, not on the resume |
| Gulf countries | References | Full entries are common, especially for previous Gulf employers |
For the full layout expected in each country, the country CV guides cover length, photo, work rights and personal details. If you are applying to Australia, the earlier article on who to choose as a referee for an Australian or NZ CV goes deeper into picking and preparing the right people.
How to prepare a referee before you send the CV
A perfectly formatted entry is wasted if the person is surprised by the call. Take these steps for each referee, ideally a week before you start applying.
- Ask for permission by phone or message, and confirm the number and email they want you to use.
- Send them the job ad or a short summary of the jobs you are applying for, so they can mention the right skills.
- Remind them of the facts: your dates, your job title and two or three tasks or projects they saw. People forget details after a few years.
- Tell them when to expect a call and from which country, especially if the number will show as international.
- Thank them and let them know the outcome. You may need them again.
If an employer also asks for written proof of your past jobs, a service letter, payslips or a verified profile can back up what your referees say. A verified candidate profile on Talent Tabloid is one way to keep that proof in one place for employers in other countries.
Common referee mistakes that cost time
Missing or local-only phone numbers
A number written as 050 xxx xxxx is hard to dial from abroad. Always add the country code and drop the leading zero where the country's format requires it.
A referee who has moved on
If your old supervisor now works somewhere else, keep the job title and workplace where they knew you, then add "now at" with their current employer. The employer needs to know the person saw your work, not where they sit today.
Personal details you do not need
Leave out home addresses, dates of birth and anything else the employer will not use to make the call. A name, role, workplace, relationship, phone and email are enough.
The same referees for every job
If you apply for a welding job and a supervisor job, the best referee may be different. Keep a short list of four or five people and pick the two who saw the work each ad cares about most.
Adding referees in Build AI CV
In the Build AI CV editor, optional sections are added only when they help, under the "More sections" step. You can keep one saved version of your CV for each kind of job, each with the referees who fit it best, and a guest can start building without an account. The Classic and ATS Plain templates are free to build and download as PDFs, so you can check the layout of the referee section before you send it.
If you are tailoring your CV for each ad, the three steps from template to PDF show where each section fits. When you are ready, build your CV free and add your referees last, once each person has said yes. Pair it with a cover letter that answers the questions an overseas employer asks.
Frequently asked questions
How many referees should I put on my CV?
Two is the usual number. Give three for senior roles, or exactly the number the job ad asks for.
Can I write "references available on request" instead of names?
Yes, when the job ad does not ask for referees. It is common in the UK, but if an ad asks for referee details, list them in full.
Should a referee's email or phone number come first?
Put the phone number first in countries where employers usually call, such as Australia and New Zealand, and keep the email on the same line.
Can a friend be a referee on my CV?
Only if they supervised or checked your work in a real job. A friend who has never seen you at work gives the employer nothing useful and may raise doubts.
