References in a job application (Norway): who to choose and how to prepare them

References are the people who can answer the question your application can't: is what you say about yourself true? An employer who calls a former manager wants to hear whether you actually did what you write, and what you were like to have on the team. That is why good references, chosen with care and prepared, are an underrated card in the job hunt.

This guide takes you through the whole reference part: who to choose, how many you need, how to prepare them, when to list them, and what actually happens in a reference check. If you are updating your CV at the same time, you find the method in the guide on how to write a CV.

This is general information about common practice in Norwegian recruitment. There is no single rule, and routines vary between industries and companies. Use the advice as a starting point, not as rules.

Who you should choose as a reference

The best reference is someone who has seen you work and can say something concrete about your effort. That rules out family and friends. They know you well, but they can't speak about how you solve tasks or function in a team.

A former manager carries the most weight. They have assessed your work, allocated tasks and seen you under pressure. When an employer calls, that is the assessment they are after.

If you don't have a manager to point to, there are good alternatives:

• A former colleague who worked closely with you, and who can describe what you were like to work with.
• A client or customer if you have been self-employed or had project work.
• A supervisor from your studies or a work placement if you are early in your career and lack work managers.

If you are a recent graduate or have little experience, it is perfectly normal to use a colleague, a supervisor or a boss from a part-time job. The point isn't the reference's title, but that the person can answer honestly and concretely about how you work.

Also choose references who will actually speak positively about you. That sounds obvious, but a lukewarm or reluctant reference does more harm than no reference. If you are unsure what someone will say, choose someone else.

How many you need

Two to three references is usual. That gives the employer enough sources to form a picture, without you wearing out your network for every single application. Some list up to four or five, especially for management positions or in thorough processes, but for most jobs two to three is enough.

Quality beats number. Three people who know your work and can give concrete examples are worth more than five who barely remember who you are. Choose those with the most to say about exactly what this job requires.

How to prepare your references

A reference who gets called unexpectedly and has to search for words does you a disservice. A prepared reference does the opposite. The preparation is about two things: asking permission, and giving enough information.

Always ask first

Never list anyone as a reference without them knowing. It is both rude and risky. If the person gets called unprepared, they may become unsure, answer guardedly, or in the worst case say they didn't want to be a reference. Send a message or make a call, and ask straight out whether they will stand in.

Tell them what the job involves

Once someone has said yes, give them the context they need. Send a short message with:

• Which position you have applied for, and with whom.
• What the role requires, preferably two or three key points from the ad.
• What you would like them to highlight, if there is something special that is relevant.

Then the reference can think through good examples in advance, and bring out exactly what fits this job. A reference who knows the position is about customer contact will talk about how you were with customers, not about something completely different.

It is also a good occasion to keep in touch. A short message telling them where you are applying reminds the reference of you and keeps the relationship warm for next time.

When in the process you give references

You generally don't give references in the application itself. They come late, most often after an interview, when the employer is considering offering you the job and wants to check what you have told them. Then they ask for references, and you hand over a short list with name, relationship, phone number and email.

It is that order which means your references don't get called for every application you send. Had you listed them from the start, the same three people would be contacted again and again, including for jobs you never got further with. By waiting until you are a serious candidate, you protect both their time and their patience.

There is one exception: if the ad expressly asks for references already in the application, you follow that. If you skip an explicit requirement, you risk the application ending up in the no pile. Read the ad carefully, and do what it asks.

Once you have handed over the list, give your references one last message: tell them they may now be contacted, and by whom. Then they are ready when the phone rings.

Should references be on the CV?

As a rule: no. You don't list references with name and number on the CV. Instead you write one line at the bottom:

"References available on request"

That is what is expected, and it does two things. First, you save space, which you use instead on experience and competence, what the employer actually reads the CV for. Second, you protect your references. A CV can end up in many places, and you don't want other people's phone numbers lying open to everyone who gets the document.

The exception, again, is when the ad asks for references directly. Then you include them as the ad asks, preferably in a separate attachment or at the bottom of the application.

What a reference check is

A reference check is the conversation where the employer calls your references to hear about you. It typically happens right at the end, when you are one of the last candidates, and can be what decides whether you get the offer.

Many dread this and imagine an interrogation looking for faults. It is rarely like that. The purpose is to confirm and fill in, not to catch you out. The employer wants to hear whether what you have told them is true, and get an outside view of how you work.

Questions that are often asked

The questions vary, but several recur:

• Confirmation: Can you briefly describe the tasks and responsibility the candidate had?
• Collaboration: What was the candidate like to work with, in a team and with managers?
• Strengths and weaknesses: What is the candidate good at, and where is there room for development?
• Performance: How did the candidate deliver on their tasks, and how did they handle pressure?
• Follow-up from the interview: Often they want the reference's perspective on something concrete that came up in the conversation with you.

Some questions are simply a check: do the dates agree, does the job title agree, was the employment as you described it. That is why it pays to be honest all the way. What you say in the interview should withstand being confirmed by a reference.

If you want to know more about what comes up earlier in the process, before the reference check, see the guide on common interview questions and how to answer them.

In short

References are a small but important step that many take too lightly. Choose two to three people who have seen you work, preferably a former manager. Always ask permission, and tell them which job you have applied for, so they can answer concretely. Give them late in the process, not in the application itself, and write "available on request" on your CV instead of a list. When the reference check comes, it is there to confirm and fill in, not to catch you out.

If you have your references ready, you are one step ahead. If you are moving on, see vacancies and find the job you want to prepare your references for.