Week 99: Who are your top three MBA references?

Week 99: May 2, 2026

Who are your top three MBA references?

With graduation around the corner, there are a few points of business you'll want to take care of before you graduate. This week, we wanted to highlight the importance of having MBA references ready, no matter where you are in the recruiting process!

The 100 Week Sprint team

To-do's this week

Got 5 minutes? Think of at least three people who are likely to serve as great references for you.

Got 30 minutes? Prepare your own reference sheet template and begin filling out some of the areas that your potential references could comment on.

Got an hour? Start reaching out to your MBA contacts and ask if they would be willing to serve as references.

Who should serve as my reference?

Over the course of your two years in b-school, you are sure to have met a lot of people along the way. Here are some questions to jumpstart your memory on the people you've met in your MBA program.

Who are the top three people you talk to each day? Have you worked with them in any professional capacity?
Do you have project teammates you worked well with?
Are there professors who you built a strong relationship with?
Were you a leader or member in a student organization? Did you build relationships with other leaders and members?
Do you keep in touch with your summer internship colleagues?
Were there community organizers who you collaborated with for on-campus events?

Ideally, you will want to find references who can highlight your different qualities. See the sample table below, which identifies the areas where your MBA references can comment on your abilities!

What would this look like?

Over the years, we have gotten multiple questions about what a reference list should look like. No longer are a list of names and phone numbers sufficient.

Here are some top must-haves on a reference sheet:

A standardized header: Using the same header on your resume and reference sheet make it easier to identify right away.
Preferred contact method: By providing a preferred contact method for the recruiter, they may be able to quickly identify the best way to get a response from the reference.
Relationship/capacity known: Instead of just putting "professor" or "co-leader," include a brief description of the context in which you interacted with the reference. This also plays into the point below.
Traits they can comment on: In the sample table given above, it's possible that a community organizer you worked with knows nothing about your analytical abilities. It will be important for recruiters to understand which aspect of your story your references can comment on.

Sample reference sheet

Click here to access our sample reference sheet!

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