References are requested by recruiters to obtain comments from people regarding your suitability for the position you’ve applied for.

Many people make the mistake of including references in a CV where they’re not needed. 99% of recruiters will request references at a later stage of the application process so stating “available upon request” is a good idea when writing your CV. Situations where this may be different is where a recruiter has specifically requested them, or for candidates applying for medical positions.

When providing references, make sure you’ve asked the people you’re using first and do not use friends and family - most application forms will state you’ll need a mixture of academic / professional references. Also, remember that references will be followed up, so don’t lie, or ask people to lie for you.