Getting someone to vouch for you can increase your chances of nailing a new job, but career pros are split on whether or not applicants should name drop on their CVs.
Many job aspirants often write at the bottom of their CVs a list of contacts, such as a former boss, colleague or college professor, to add more value to their application. Others, however, opt to leave the portion blank and, instead write a note that says "references will be provided on request".
Human resources experts say companies in the Gulf continue to use character references in the hiring process. Potential employers always want to gain insights into the character and work background of an applicant before making a decision.
"More than ever, even when taking professional references, we increasingly aim to gauge the content of the candidate's character," says Andrew McNeilis, Talent2 managing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa. McNeilis agrees that those who don't provide a list of character references might be considered less desirable candidates.
But companies don't just rely on supplied references or even letters of recommendation. They do their background checks as well, especially since some recruiters are wary about the authenticity of reference lists.
"We will always ask for references but also make some informal inquiries. No one really buys the ‘to whom it may concern' reference. It needs to be a phone call these days," says McNeilis.
Mark Timms, director at the Gulf Recruitment Group, however, says that writing contacts on the CV is no longer necessary, but it doesn't mean companies won't ask for references later on. "References should be provided on request and not form part of the CV initially. If the client is interested in the candidate, then they should interview the person first and make a judgment on their suitability and then apply for references to back this up," Timms says.
"If you supply references on your CV, then who is to say that these will be spoken to as a first port of call and a judgment made on your candidature before you have a chance to prove your value?"
Since applicants choose their own references, there is no strong assurance that an employer can get an objective feedback or assessment.
"Taking a reference can only be of value if the right topics are discussed and for this, you have to start by choosing the right recipient," Timms adds.
