Should you include references on or with your resume ... not a good idea.

Here are a few significant reasons why you should not put your references on or with your resume:

The people that you trust to promote you, those that you use for references, are allowing you an opportunity to use them to assist you in finding a job.

However, when you post your resume online, and the references are included as part of the resume, cover letter, or in a separate entry on one of the search engines, the people who are your references now have their personal information posted along with your resume and letter.

When you put your references on your resume, and they are carried over to an iPhone, iPad, Smartphone, or other electronic device, the people you’ve allowed to represent have now become part of someone’s app, and did not intend to be downloaded at will.

The bottom line:  It is becoming more important to protect confidentiality, and the information that you supply as “references” may not be held confidential until you appear face-to-face with an HR representative, at which time you can state candidly that your references should be held in confidence.

Most HR representatives now possess a Bachelor’s Degree in HR, an Illinois State Certification (other states may or may not require certification above and beyond the Bachelor’s degree).

Many HR representatives are returning to school to attain a Master’s Degree in HR in order to gain specialization in labor negotiations, diversity training, safety training, expert compilation of curriculum and training materials for a medical center, or other continually expanding specialized concepts within the workplace.

Technically, an HR representative will not contact a candidate’s current or previous employer without face-to-face permission, and very seldom before the actual interview.

The reason for HR’s hesitancy is because if there were a problem where the reference should not have been contacted, was inadvertently left on the reference sheet by the prospective candidate, or for any other reason, the HR representative does not want his or her company to be held liable for damages or wrongful actions.

Granted, HR may not be at fault when the prospective candidate makes a mistake by supplying a reference that shouldn’t have been included on or with his or her resume. 

However, HR is well aware that legal representation may be necessary if the candidate still decides to take action, and legal action could cost the company thousands of dollars in retention of an attorney or in internal time / labor costs within the legal department.