Don't know who to submit as an employee reference?

Here are some of our most common queries explained. We will talk you through the different kinds of reference checks and suggest the most suitable people to add as referees.

Always carefully read the instructions from your recruiter

In the box at the top of your referee submission page as they explain what kind of reference checks and how many, or how many years covered, they require. If they specify “HR reference check” or “employment confirmation reference” that means you have to add someone with the following job titles to your submission page: HR Team, HR Administrator, HR Coordinator People Team, People Director or similar.  This kind of reference check will only confirm your work dates, employment type, and job title.

Please note, we will contact the referee immediately after submission, so do not add anyone you do not want to be contacted.

Requesting a manager or colleague reference check? 💼

• If you are currently employed: ask your manager or someone you work with to be your referee.

• If you need a reference from a previous job: ask a manager, someone who supervised you, or a colleague you worked with. You can look for former colleagues’ contact details on the company website, or find the HR team and ask them to help you. You can also use Linkedin to contact a manager or colleague and ask for their email address.

• If you work in education: ask a head-teacher, head of department, professor or teacher.

• If you’re a freelancer or contractor: ask your clients or previous customers. Failing this, you can also ask a coworker for a reference check.

Requesting a HR reference check? 💻

This is a check that comes from an HR department where possible.

• If you are currently employed: speak to the person who handles payroll about which HR contact to add. Alternatively, ask your manager for more information or search your company intranet.

• If you need a reference from a previous job: you can get in touch with the HR team of a former employer by looking on the company website. Alternatively, if you know someone who still works there, ask them to direct you to the HR department.

• If you work in education: ask someone from the administrative office, the assistant or vice principal, or the principal. Alternatively, some companies will accept a head-teacher or head of department.  

• If you’re a freelancer or contractor: ask your payroll company, consultancy or accountant to verify your work.

What if the above doesn't apply? 🤷

• You have never worked before: ask someone you studied with, a teacher, professor, teaching assistant or friend.

• You have been out of employment/unemployed: ask a friend, doctor, family member or partner. You can also ask a teacher as an academic referee.

• You are self-employed: ask a client or someone you collaborated with.

Character reference checks 👥

References from a friend, neighbour, or acquaintance will be considered character reference checks and must be added in the following way: add “character reference" as the “organisation” and state your relationship to the person as the "job title".

Academic reference checks 🎓

An academic reference is a reference check from someone who taught you. Under “job title” put “student” and under “organisation” put the name of the academic institution where your referee taught you.

More top tips for a speedy, streamlined process:

• Notify the referee Always you add them so they can look out for the email and consent to their contact details being added.

• Add additional referees Adding an extra referee may mean you get the required number of references more quickly and can start your job sooner. Add another referee on your referee submission page by clicking the "Add" button at the bottom.

• What is a referee? A referee is a person who provides you with a reference.

• Add reference checks to cover missed employment If your employer has asked you for references that cover a certain number of years, you will need a reference check for any gap over 3 months. This means that if you have been unemployed or travelling, you must submit a personal reference. Simply enter the reason, “travelling” or “job search” or "maternity", under organisation and state your relationship to the referee under title. Submitting a partner or family member is preferred, or an alternate email for yourself.
• Unsure what types of questions employers ask for a reference check? Read this  for more information.
• Are you a visual learner? Watch this.

We hope you now feel confident about submitting the best referees for you. All you have to do is add their contact details to your profile and you will be notified when each referee submits a reference.

If you have any doubts or questions, we’re always here to help. Simply reach out to us via the live chat in the bottom right corner of the screen or email us at.

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