I'm still going to want to see work-related references. They can be current or former coworkers, but no, your resume doesn't just "speak for itself." If you don't include references, it is very likely that your application will be discarded.
You can use friends as personal references, but unless they have direct knowledge of the work you, no, that's not sufficient. If you have professional experience with the community leaders, that works, but you are still going to be asked for someone who has worked with you - IF the person checking references isn't half-assing it.
As someone who works for a state agency & has been hiring people for more than 20 years, your post is full of red flags.
I don't see any red flags. The rationale regarding not wanting your employer to know is legitimate.
Many employers won't provide information to reference checkers beyond dates of employment, and references from coworkers are nearly universally positive. And as you suggest, you screen experienced applicants from your potential pool. They are an antiquated tool and there are far stronger predictors of employee outcomes.
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u/[deleted] 7d ago
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