Since references- or who you know– can really have a big impact on your chances of securing a new teaching position, I highly recommend including them directly on your band director resume. Many online applications will prompt you to include references- and it’s a good idea to do so- just make sure to include them on your resume as well.
Here are a few guidelines for choosing and including references on your band director resume:
QUALITY
Choosing your references is an important decision- and it may even be necessary to change out one or two based on the positions you are applying to.
A few options to use as references are: current/former principals or other administrators, trusted mentors, head band directors and other colleagues that can vouch for your success and skills. I recommend avoiding the use of non-education or personal references.
The more prestigious your reference, the better, but take note that this person must: (a) know you and be willing to speak confidently to a decision-maker about your abilities, and (b) have a positive relationship with the hiring district, school, and administrators.
QUANTITY
Depending on your available pool of quality references, I recommend including no fewer than four (4) and no more than eight (8) references at the bottom of your resume. It is no longer a best practice to include the phrase, ‘references available upon request’- either include them on your resume or provide your references on a separate document.
FORMAT
References are most effective listed in the final section of the resume. With each reference, be sure to include a name, title (or former title), school associated with their title, phone number and email address. There is usually no need to include home or office addresses, but it may be helpful to include city and state for any out-of-state references.
COMMUNICATION
Contact your references any time you think a potential employer may be in touch with them. Sending an email or giving a quick call will help to re-establish your connection and it will let them know to expect a call or email from the district.
To go above and beyond, try sending them your resume or otherwise detailing the specific skills and experience you’re wanting to market about yourself. They can use this information to help give direction and focus to their conversation with the decision-maker.
WHEN TO OMIT REFERENCES
If you know of any conflicts, or reasons to not include a specific person as a reference, it’s best to avoid using them. In the case of a non-band director resume, best practice is to omit references all together and instead create a separate document you can use if references are requested.
If you have any questions about references, or if you would like a free review of your resume, contact me anytime for honest feedback you can use immediately.
As an experienced Certified Professional Resume Writer, career specialist, former band student, music ed. major, DCI member, and teacher, I’ve helped many education professionals- including my husband (a former Head Band Director)- with results-driven career advancement strategies.
Visit ResumeLezlie.com/music-ed for additional information on services, FAQs and more.