For job references in Australia and New Zealand, line up at least 2 referees, ideally including a current or former manager, ask each one first, and brief them on the job. Employers usually call them after the interview, once they have a view of you, to confirm what you told them and to check how you fit the selection criteria. They should not be fishing for personal details that have nothing to do with the work.
What a referee is for
A referee is someone who has seen you work and will answer an employer's questions about it. The reference check is the employer's way of testing the story in your CV and interview against someone who was there.
That makes your referees part of your application, not an afterthought. A strong interview followed by a vague, surprised or unreachable referee can undo a lot of good work.
It also explains the timing. The Australian Human Rights Commission advises employers to contact referees after they have formed an opinion from the interview, so the call confirms or tests a view the panel already holds.
How many referees, and do they go on your CV?
Tahatū, the New Zealand Government careers service, says in its CV guide to include contact details for at least 2 referees if the job ad asks for them, ideally including a current or former manager. If the ad does not ask, it suggests writing 'Referees available on request' instead. The same approach works for Australian applications.
Leaving names off until they are needed has a practical upside: you choose which referees fit each job, and they are not called by every employer who opens your CV. Our guide to writing a CV for Australia and New Zealand shows where the referee line sits on the page.
When you do list someone, keep it short: name, job title, the organisation and your working relationship, plus the phone number and email they have agreed you can share.
Who to choose: a quick guide
The best referee is the person who supervised your work most closely and most recently. Titles matter less than first-hand knowledge.
| Your situation | Strongest choice | Good second referee |
|---|---|---|
| Working now, and your employer knows you are looking | Your current manager | A previous manager |
| Working now, search kept private | A former manager | A senior colleague who has since moved on |
| Changing careers | A manager who saw the skills the new job needs | A course teacher or trainer |
| Recent graduate or school leaver | A supervisor from a part-time job or placement | A lecturer, teacher or volunteer coordinator |
| Self-employed or contract work | A regular client who can describe your work | A business partner or the main contractor you worked under |
| Most of your work history is overseas | Your last overseas manager, reachable by phone or email | A local supervisor from volunteer or casual work |
Family members and friends are a poor fit, even if they have seen you work. An employer wants someone with no personal stake in the outcome.
When your referees are overseas
Many people applying for IT and technology jobs, trade roles or hospitality work in Australia and New Zealand have spent most of their careers in another country. Overseas referees are normal; unreachable ones are the problem.
Check that each person can take a call in English or answer by email, and note their time zone next to their number. If your old manager has left the company, their current contact details are fine: what counts is that they supervised you.
What employers ask your referees
The Human Rights Commission advises employers to use the call to confirm what the referee knows about you and to ask about your suitability against the selection criteria. Selection criteria are the skills and experience the job asks for. The Queensland Government notes they are especially common in government jobs and expects applicants to back each one with a relevant example.
The same limits apply in the interview itself: see which interview questions employers in Australia should not ask and what to do if they do.
So expect questions along these lines:
- How do you know the candidate, for how long, and in what role?
- What were their main duties, and how well did they handle them?
- Can you give an example of them using a skill this job needs?
- How did they work with the team, customers or clients?
- Where could they improve?
- Would you employ them again?
The "would you hire them again" question carries weight. A referee who hesitates there often worries an employer more than a mild criticism.
Questions that should not be asked
The same Commission guidance says referees should not be asked personal questions unrelated to the job. Under the Fair Work Act, employers also cannot take adverse action against a prospective employee for discriminatory reasons. The protected attributes include race, sex, age, disability, religion, pregnancy, marital status, family or carer's responsibilities and national extraction.
The Commission also says it may be against the law to ask job applicants whether they have ever made a workers' compensation claim, or how much sick leave they took in the previous year, when the question does not relate to their ability to do the job. If a referee tells you they were asked about your family plans or your health history, write down what was asked.
How to prepare your referees in 7 steps
- Ask first, every time. Get each person's permission before you put their name on any application, and confirm the best number and email.
- Send them the job ad. A referee who knows the role can link your past work to what this employer needs.
- Send your current CV. Dates and titles that match what you wrote avoid awkward contradictions.
- Remind them of 2 or 3 examples. Pick projects or situations that match the selection criteria. People forget details over time, so jog their memory with facts, not a script.
- Tell them who may call and roughly when. Once you have interviewed, give each referee the organisation name, the role and the likely timing so they pick up an unknown number.
- Agree how they can check the caller. Scamwatch advises contacting recruitment agency representatives on phone numbers you have sourced yourself. Your referees can do the same if a call seems odd.
- Thank them and share the result. Whatever the outcome, a short message keeps them willing to help with the next application.
Never write your referees' answers for them. A reference that sounds rehearsed tends to backfire, and an honest one with a small weakness reads as more believable.
How a reference check differs from a police check
People often mix these up. A reference check is a conversation with people who know your work. A police check is an official record search, and nobody can apply for yours without your consent.
| Check | What it covers | Who arranges it |
|---|---|---|
| Reference check | Your work, skills and conduct, as described by your referees | The employer or its recruiter, by phone or email |
| AFP National Police Certificate | A summary of your offender history in Australia | You apply, or the organisation applies with your consent |
| Visa character checks | Police certificates for the visa itself | You, as part of the visa application |
The Australian Federal Police says anyone can apply for a National Police Certificate for their own use, but cannot apply for someone else without their consent. If an employer needs one, they will tell you.
Watch for fake "reference checks"
Scammers use the hiring process as cover. New Zealand's National Cyber Security Centre says job scammers often move the conversation quickly to WhatsApp and ask for sensitive information early.
A genuine reference check asks about you; it does not ask your referee for their own bank details, passport or identity documents, and it does not ask you for money. Scamwatch also advises never sending your passport or identity documents to an employer or recruitment firm unless you are certain they are genuine. If anything feels wrong, check the employer before you share more, using our job application checklist.
Can you see what your referees said?
Sometimes. The OAIC, Australia's privacy regulator, says job applicants who did not take the job, or were unsuccessful, can generally ask for access to information about them, including in some cases a referee's report, with some exceptions. Start by asking the organisation that ran the recruitment.
Once you are hired, the picture changes. The OAIC says a private sector employer's handling of employee records directly related to the employment relationship is exempt from the Privacy Act 1988. In practice, the time to ask about a reference is when an application has not worked out.
The simpler route is to ask. The Queensland Government suggests asking for feedback on how to improve after an interview, and a polite request for feedback can surface a weak reference without any formal process.
Common mistakes
- Listing someone without asking. A surprised referee gives a hesitant reference, and an unwilling one can say no on the call.
- Choosing a friend over a manager. The advice is to include a current or former manager where you can; a friend's praise carries little weight.
- Out-of-date contact details. Old work emails bounce and old numbers ring out. Check every detail before each application.
- Not briefing referees. A referee who has not seen the job ad cannot connect your past work to the role.
- Using the same referees for every job. A hospitality supervisor helps less for an administration job than an office manager who saw your organisational work.
- Sending identity documents with your referee list. Names and contact details are enough at this stage.
If an offer arrives after the checks, slow down for one more step: our job offer checklist for Australia and New Zealand covers what to confirm before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
How many referees should I have for a job in Australia?
Two is the usual number to prepare. Tahatū advises at least 2 referees when the job ad asks for them, ideally including a current or former manager, and the same approach suits Australian applications. Some employers only call one of them.
Should I put referees on my CV?
Only if the job ad asks for them. Otherwise write 'Referees available on request', as Tahatū suggests, and send names when the employer asks. That way you choose the best referees for each job and protect their contact details.
When do employers contact referees?
Usually after the interview. The Australian Human Rights Commission advises employers to contact referees once they have formed an opinion from the interview, to confirm what the referee knows and check your suitability against the selection criteria.
Can I ask to see a reference about me?
Often, if you did not get or did not take the job. The OAIC says unsuccessful applicants and applicants who did not take a job can generally ask for access to information about them, including in some cases a referee's report, with some exceptions.
Can my referees be overseas?
Yes, and many applicants rely on overseas managers. Make sure each referee can be reached by phone or email, can answer in English, and knows which employer may call. Add their time zone next to their contact details.
Key takeaways
- Prepare at least 2 referees, ideally including a current or former manager.
- Ask permission and send each referee the job ad and your current CV.
- Employers usually call after the interview and should ask about the job, not your personal life.
- A reference check is not a police check, and no genuine check asks you for money.
- Unsuccessful applicants can often ask for access to a referee's report.
