As of: 14 July 2026.A CV shows positions, a cover letter explains motivation and work samples make results visible. Sometimes a question still remains: How did this person actually work? This is exactly where professional references can help. A former supervisor, a project manager or a client not only confirms that a task was completed, but can assess working methods, responsibility and collaboration from their own experience.
References in the applicationare usually voluntary in Austria. Used correctly they strengthen credibility, especially for roles with responsibility, at the start of a career, after self-employment or when switching to a new field of work. A long list of names without relevance to the position hardly convinces. What matters are selection, consent, relevance and a clean presentation.
What is meant by a professional reference
A reference is a person who can provide information from shared professional experience. This can be a former supervisor, a project manager, a client, a mentor or a close colleague. The company you are applying to can contact this person and ask about tasks, results and collaboration.
Distinct from that is the letter of recommendation. It is written in advance and attached as a document. The AMS describes it as a voluntary, personally worded recommendation that confirms information from the application. An employment certificate, in turn, is a formal document from the employer. The Arbeiterkammer points out that the statutory entitlement in Austria generally includes information about the person, the company, the duration of the employment relationship and the type of activity. An evaluation of work quality is not automatically required.
Those who know the differences can combine the documents purposefully: The employment certificate documents the employment relationship, the reference allows follow-up questions and the letter of recommendation provides a personal assessment in written form.
When references are particularly useful
References are not a mandatory attachment for every application. They are valuable where they reduce a specific uncertainty. This applies, for example, when filling a leadership role, when project responsibility is not obvious from the job title, or when performance from consulting, sales and customer work cannot be shown publicly.
Recommendations can also help when starting a career. In that case, internship supervisors, teachers, training officers or leaders of a relevant volunteer project may be suitable. For self-employed and freelance workers, clients are often more informative than classic certificates. In a career change, a reference can confirm that transferable competencies such as organization, customer communication or team leadership have already been applied in practice.
The AMS cites letters of recommendation among other things as a useful option for internships, career entry, promotions, leadership positions, job changes and freelance work. However, fit remains decisive: a strong recommendation for a completely different task is less helpful than a concrete statement about precisely the competence that counts in the target role.
Who is really suitable as a referee
The most well-known name is not automatically the best choice. Good referees have worked closely enough with you to describe concrete situations. They should know your role, your results and your way of collaborating. A managing director who has seen you only at two meetings may look prominent on paper but may be less credible than a direct project manager.
Check potential people using four questions:
- Has the person observed my work over a sufficiently long period?
- Can they confirm competencies that are relevant for the specific position?
- Do they know measurable results or verifiable examples?
- Are they likely to provide reliable, factual and positive information?
Karriere.at lists former supervisors, colleagues, project partners as well as clients and contractors as possible referees. For many applications two well-chosen people are sufficient. More contacts do not automatically increase the informative value and can quickly make the documents confusing.
Always obtain consent before naming someone
Do not pass on names, position, telephone number or email address without prior consultation. Explicitly ask the person whether they are available as a reference and which contact details may be used. This is not only respectful, but also prevents unpleasant surprises. An unprepared referee may not immediately remember project details or may be unavailable for a longer period.
The request should briefly explain which role and which company you are applying to, why this person would be helpful and what kind of contact to expect. Then send the job ad, current CV and two or three points that are important for the position. This is not a script for predefined answers. It simply helps the person to quickly classify relevant shared experiences.
Also inform your references when you withdraw from the application process or the position has been filled. Those who repeatedly ask for support should handle other people's time carefully.
Where references can be placed in the application
There is not just one correct placement. If a reference list is expressly requested, a separate, clear page is suitable. It can include name, current position, company, professional relationship and approved contact details. In the CV, a short section at the end is often sufficient. In the cover letter, a reference should only be mentioned if it directly supports a central argument.
If you do not want to distribute contact details in the first round of applications, you can state “References upon request”. Then you decide together with the reference person when the data will be transmitted. Also check the requirements in the job ad or application portal. Some companies only request references in a later selection round.
The reference list should, like the other application documents, be carefully checkedshould be: consistent spelling, current positions, correct contact details and a clear relationship to the applicant. Private addresses or unnecessary personal information do not belong in it.
What distinguishes a good letter of recommendation
A letter of recommendation is stronger than a general hymn of praise when it contains concrete observations. According to the AMS it should explain the relationship between the issuer and the recommended person, name the occasion, classify professional and personal strengths and express a clear recommendation. A length of about one page is usually sufficient.
The letter becomes credible through details: What responsibility did the person have? Which problem was solved? How did they work with others? What was the result? General formulations like “always very committed” say little if they are not tied to an example.
The letter should be current enough for the target role and contain an identifiable sender. A scanned signature alone does not make the content credible; actual collaboration and reachable follow-up options are more important. Applicants should not write the document themselves as a finished recommendation. However, they can provide the person asked with tasks, project data and desired focal points.
Reference, employment certificate or work sample?
The three types of evidence serve different purposes. A employment certificate documents employment and duties. A reference gives a real person the opportunity to contextualize experiences. A work sample shows the result
directly.
In technical, creative or scientific professions a work sample can often demonstrate more than a recommendation. The AMS explicitly names references and letters of recommendation as a possible alternative when no work sample is available. This is relevant, for example, in confidential client projects, internal processes or for career entrants. Good applications choose the evidence that most directly supports the main claim.
How to prepare for potential follow-up questions
Recruiters typically do not ask referees to repeat the CV. What matters are concrete tasks, reliability, collaboration, independence, strengths and development areas. For leadership roles, team management, conflict-handling and scope of responsibility may be added. For projects, deadlines, quality, communication and one's own share of the result often count.
If the application and the reference information do not match, a need for explanation arises quickly. Therefore describe roles and achievements precisely. From “led project” it should be clear whether you coordinated technically, were responsible for the budget, or disciplinarily led a team. Reference persons should also know which wording is in the CV so that the same work is not unintentionally described completely differently.Job interviewAfter a "," you can assess whether a reference check is likely. Inform the person concerned promptly, rather than reacting only after a surprising call.
What to do if no references are available?
Lack of references is not a reason for exclusion. Especially career starters, people after a longer break or employees with a discreet job search may have good reasons not to name current supervisors. Do not invent contacts and do not pressure anyone. Instead use work samples, project descriptions, certificates, internship confirmations or verifiable results.
In a confidential application it is usually unwise to give the current manager as a reference without prior warning. A former project leader, a former client or a mentor may be more suitable. Briefly explain in the process why current contacts are only possible at a later date. Professional recruiters understand that ongoing employment requires discretion.
Checklist for references in the application
- Only select people who can actually assess your work.
- Prioritize fit for the specific position over notoriety or hierarchical level.
- Before any disclosure, explicitly clarify consent and permitted contact details.
- Prepare referees with the job ad, CV and relevant projects.
- Prefer two strong references over a long, arbitrary list.
- Keep information in CV, interview and reference statement consistent.
- Use alternatives such as employment certificates, work samples and certificates purposefully.
Conclusion: Credibility arises through concrete collaboration
References do not convince because a well-known person lends their name. They convince when someone can describe relevant collaboration concretely and credibly. This requires careful selection, explicit consent and a clear connection to the target position.
The best next step: For a specific application choose two possible referees and note three shared tasks or results for each that match the job. Only then ask. This way you do not create an arbitrary contact list, but a robust proof of your professional practice.
