How to write references in a CV
Your FAQs on CV references answered: from who to choose, through to where they should go on your CV template and what to do if you get a bad reference.
Free Word CV templates, résumé templates and careers advice
Our careers advice covers all aspects of job hunting and writing your CV. All of our articles have been written by recruitment experts with years of experience. We cover everything from career choices to handling disappointment after unsuccessful job interviews. New articles are added to this section regularly so be sure to check back for more!
Your FAQs on CV references answered: from who to choose, through to where they should go on your CV template and what to do if you get a bad reference.
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The well-known Chinese philosopher Confucius is often quoted as having said:
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
Whilst we’ve since learned that it’s unlikely Confucius actually uttered these words, the saying holds true. Work takes up a huge part of our lives and if we’re in the wrong job, every day feels like a chore.
Our careers advice articles cover a wide range of topics and are designed to give you the best chance of success in your career – whatever you decide to do. Above all, it’s important that you enjoy your job and you are happy in your role – if not, then maybe it’s time for a change.
Are you in the right job?
We all deserve to have a career that we love and are passionate about every day. However, more and more people are finding themselves waking up on a Monday morning dreading the commute to work because they just don’t like their job.
Are you one of these people that feel like they deserve more from their career? Or are you just not sure whether you have taken the right option?
To help you decide, here are some warning signs that it may be time for a career change after all!
Do you often feel anxious and stressed when it comes to Sunday night? This could be a big sign that you are in need of a career change. Worrying about work can cause your health to deteriorate, and symptoms like headaches, migraines, aching limbs and anxiety is a sure fire sign that something is wrong.
If you are experiencing any of these problems, then now is the time to evaluate your career and consider looking elsewhere before things get worse. Your health and mental state is extremely important, so now is the time to make that change. Browse our careers advice articles above for inspiration on your next step!
Having high self-esteem and being confident in your career is extremely important. But if for some reason this appears to be difficult to find, then these could be the warning signs you need to make a big decision and move on.
Some jobs can just leave you feeling down and lacking in self belief. In could be a manager or co-worker that’s making life difficult. Or even the job itself leaves you feeling like your lacking in passion and energy, and a sense of achievement is hard to come by.
A change in career may just be what’s needed to revitalise yourself and get back that passion and energy you’ve always wanted. It doesn’t matter how much it pays, it just isn’t worth it in the end if you come home feeling dejected. Take a look through some of our careers advice articles and get your confidence back!
Earning a wage which is enough to support you and a family is of course the most important thing when it comes to choosing a career. However, it’s vital that you find the right balance when it comes to the amount you earn.
There is no point earning a really high wage if you are just not happy – and you probably won’t enjoy spending it anyway! A huge amount of our time is spent at work, so no amount of money will bring you happiness if you hate what you do.
It might seem like a good idea at the start, but slowly over time you will become miserable and unhappy if you are just not passionate enough and you are not feeling any professional and personal satisfaction with your career. Start reading through our careers advice posts and find the motivation to hunt down that dream job!
This might be one of the more obvious signs that you are ready for a career change, but you’d be surprised at how many people there are that constantly dream about something else whilst they are at the workplace.
The sky’s the limit – unless you want to be an astronaut. So why continue dreaming about another career when you could be living the dream! Take our best piece of careers advice: initiate a change!
It’s not unusual to occasionally get a little bored and unenthusiastic at work, but if this happens every day, you are certainly in the wrong career. Mundane tasks are quite common in a career, and can sometimes be part and parcel of any job. But for the majority of the time you should be feeling energetic and engaged in what you’re doing.
Job satisfaction is what drives a career, and if you are just not getting any and you are lacking in energy and interest, then a new career is what’s needed to bring back that feeling of satisfaction and reward. Start looking through our careers advice articles and tips, and find that interest again!
This may be the case, but does that fact leave you feeling down and depressed? It shouldn’t, and there are lots of reasons why.
There will always be someone out there that earns more money than you, or has a job that may sound more exciting, but when it comes down to it the most important thing is how passionate and enthusiastic you are about your own career.
It doesn’t matter what you do. You could be washing dishes or flying fighter jets. What matters is how you feel when you show up for work every day, and there is no other person or career out there that can match yours if you love what you do.
So if you find yourself constantly feeling jealous of a friend’s career, then it may just be because you are not getting job satisfaction in your own, and not because they earn more money or you assume their career is more exciting. Our careers advice articles are here to help you find your dream job – the one that will make your friends envious of you!
Why? What’s stopping you? Is it because you wouldn’t be able to pay your bills? Would you not be able to find another career that pays as well?
None of the above reasons should stop you finding the right career for you. Sure, it may not be possible to just up and leave your job tomorrow because there are bills coming out at the start of the month. But this doesn’t mean to say you are stuck there forever.
If money is the only thing that keeps you in a career you hate, then don’t let that stop you in the long term. Make plans and be smart about a possible career move. Do you need a particular qualification to make that move? Then why not consider night classes, or weekend courses. It may be a lot to take on, but it will be worth it in the end if you get to work in a job you are passionate about for the rest of your working life.
If it’s time for a change then don’t hesitate – browse through our careers advice articles to help you decide on the next step!