The Privacy Act 2020 prevents referees from being contacted without your express permission. However, it is a good precaution to state on your CV that you would not like your referees to be contacted without your consent. State that referees will be provided upon request or list the names and contact details of referees.

The names and positions of your referees can add considerable weight to your application, particularly for senior appointments where the referees may be known to the recruitment consultant and future employer. When providing referee details, include their position title and organisation, their relationship to you and contact details including email, LinkedIn and mobile number.

Top Tips

• choose referees you’ve worked closely with to be able to make meaningful comments on your work. They should have worked with you recently enough to be relevant and ideally should include your direct managers
   
• contact your referees and provide an outline of the role and responsibilities. They need to be prepared to answer specific questions about your suitability for the role. The more they know, the more informed their answers
   
• thank your referees and let them know the outcome
   
• do not ask them or your potential employer about the information the referee provided. Under the Privacy Act, that information is confidential
   
• look after your referees – they are very important to you!