Contractor and freelance references in NZ

A different referee game, with different strengths.

The short version

Your best referees

Clients. A client who renewed you is a stronger referee than most managers, and they saw outcomes directly.

The structure problem

No HR verifying dates, so your contract records, invoices and LinkedIn carry the verification load. Keep them clean.

The brief difference

Client referees should speak to delivery and reliability, not team-player scripts. Brief them on the engagement's numbers.

Where Reference Ace fits in

The honest version of this problem is solvable, and it lasts. No usable referee? We check real examples of your work, confirm they're yours, and vouch for them openly as an independent reviewer. Got referees? We brief them properly, run a practice of the exact call employers make, and use the consent rules that keep your current employer out of it until you have signed. Nothing to hide, nothing that unravels in year two.

Common questions

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Do agencies accept client referees?

Yes, and they weight them well. Two client referees is a strong panel for contract roles.

My client has a no-references policy?

Their procurement may confirm the engagement factually. Pair that with a stakeholder who saw the work.

How far back?

Your three most recent engagements is plenty.

No referee? Show us your work

Reference Ace checks real examples of your work, confirms they're yours, and vouches for them to employers by name, always as an independent reviewer and never as a former boss. Got a referee already? We brief them and run the practice check before a real employer calls.

See how it works and pricing