There was a time when business and personal references were routinely found on resumes. Right there at the bottom of the page, just below marital status and a shopping list of hobbies and interests. Yes, and there was also a time when Nehru jackets were in style, pensions were a given, and business meetings concluded with a soak in the company hot tub. But the 60's are long over.

If your resume contains references, you need to set fire to that resume and start over. If you're reading from a "how to write a resume" book and it is advising the need for references on the page, you need to check the copyright of that book and then pitch it on the fire you just started.

Resume References: How To Doom Your Chances For An Interview

If you're looking for the quickest way to relegate your resume to the circular file, include references on it. If a resume is a reflection of the person (and it is), you will immediately come across as dated and out of touch. Plus, those references have just hogged valuable space that could have been better spent promoting your value to the prospective company.

References Are Still Needed

Don't get me wrong. Business references are still needed; just not on the resume. The typical way to handle resume references is to prepare a separate reference page. It's not uncommon for prospective employers to request 3 business references (and sometimes 3 personal references), but only after they have an interest in taking the interview process to the next level. This is the page to have ready, and to present in response to that request.

What About Using "References Available Upon Request" On The Resume?

Do it, but only as the last line on the resume, and only if there is room. In other words, it's optional and it's expendable. It's well understood that a candidate - any candidate who has made it far enough to get a resume into the hands of a hiring official - will be able to scrape up some references should the need arise. So an announcement of such is unnecessary. Still, from both a practical and a design point of view, it provides a nice closure to the resume. It lets the reader know that he or she has reached "the end." But if you're pressed for space, it should be the first line that gets the boot.

BTW, if you're faced with writing a resume in today's tough job market, know that with time, study, and a bit of marketing skill, most folks can write an effective resume. But it's not a walk in the park. If your resume is going to be fighting for attention in an extremely competitive field, or if your work history or job qualifications are difficult for you to express in a promotional and unbiased manner, the services of a professional resume writer might make sense.

Former headhunter and pro resume writer David Alan Carter reviews the Web's most popular professional resume writers at the website TopResumeServices.com, spelling out their pricing and giving each a star ranking. (Note: David's "Top 3 Picks" are resume services that actually guarantee interviews.)

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