References on a Norwegian CV: who to list, and what they are asked
References are the part of the process applicants think least about and which often decides most. In Norway they are usually phoned — not asked for a letter — and the call is short, concrete and the last step before an offer. If you come from a country where written reference letters are the norm, this is one of the clearest shifts to understand.
What is normal in Norway
Two or three references is enough. Usually former managers, not colleagues. You give the name, position, relationship to you and a phone number — email alone is often not enough, because the person calling will not wait two days for a reply.
You can either list them at the bottom of the CV or write "references on request". Both are accepted. Listing them speeds the process up; waiting lets you warn your referee first and keeps their contact details out of a PDF that gets forwarded.
The rule either way: always ask first. A referee called without warning answers hesitantly, and hesitation sounds like a reservation.
What they are asked
Reference calls in Norway are short, often ten minutes, and cover four things in practice:
- Confirmation. Do the dates, the role and the duties you listed match?
- Attendance and reliability. Did you turn up on time, could they count on your shifts being covered?
- Collaboration. How were you in the team, how did you take instructions and feedback?
- Would they hire you again? This question comes almost every time, and the answer carries the most weight.
What they may not ask about are matters irrelevant to the job — pregnancy, religion, political views or health, for example. If that comes up, it is the employer's problem, not yours.
No Norwegian references yet?
This is the most common obstacle for newcomers, and it has practical answers:
- Foreign references count. List them with the country, time zone and the language they speak. Writing "English-speaking" next to the name removes a barrier for whoever has to call.
- Substitute work and short assignments produce references. A week as an on-call substitute in a kindergarten gives you a manager who can confirm your attendance. It is often the fastest route to your first Norwegian reference.
- Volunteering and placements count too. The person who ran the event, your placement supervisor, the Norwegian teacher who watched you turn up every day for six months.
- A written reference (attest) from a previous employer. In Norway employees are entitled to a written statement when an employment ends (Working Environment Act § 15-15); it is not the same as a reference, but it documents the period and the duties when the person is hard to reach.
A referee who answers in English is far better than no referee. What genuinely weakens an application is the empty space where the references should be.
How to prepare your referee
Send a short message before you list anyone: which job you are applying for, where, and what matters in it. Then your referee knows what the call will be about and can speak to what is relevant instead of improvising. It takes two minutes and improves the call more than anything else you can do.
Frequently asked questions
Can I list a colleague instead of my manager? Yes, if you cannot list your current manager — that is common and understood when you are applying while employed. Say why.
Do I have to list my current employer? No. It is entirely normal to write that your current employer may be contacted only after an offer.
What if I left on bad terms? Choose someone else from the same period — a team leader, a senior colleague. And be ready for the question about why you left; a short, neutral answer is enough.
Next step
Put the references into the CV properly and check it for free against the job ad. See also Norwegian CV format and the guide on gaps in your CV, where a reference is often the best way to close a question mark.