Applying for jobs; really don't want to give out reference names before job offer

[RoseParade]

I am currently on AML and I'm applying for jobs as my flexible working application got turned down and I don't feel even the slightest bit kindly disposed towards my current employers. The plan is to keep applying for jobs but if nothing better comes up I'll return to my old job in January.
All the jobs I want to apply for at the moment are asking for references at the application stage. I REALLY don't want my current employers to get any inkling at all that I am job seeking so am loathe to put my current boss down (although I'm sure he would give me a reference if I was leaving). Is it reasonable to write a note to the effect that references will be supplied if application successful or do you think the people selecting candidates will just bin my application because I haven't supplied all the information they have asked for?

you could just put references available. I doubt they would check them till just before they offered you the job if they were going to.

As a recruiter I would never approach a current employer before offering the job and it being accepted. (Satisfactory references being a condition of the offer). I would therefore be happy if someone put a note in asking me not to approach them yet or saying available on request, something like that.

Thanks very much for the advice, think I'll go with the "references available" line.

Yes, put refs available. My DB applied for a job and the prospective employer took up the reference with the current employer prior to an offer being made AND THEN didn't make an offer

It should be pretty obvious to most reasonable people that you don't want your current employer to know you are job hunting, but some people don't respect this.

Oh gosh Crokky, that is exactly the scenario I was worrying about! Was everything OK in the end??

Yes, it was OK in the end - he applied for another job and got it. I think his employers at the time were quite sympathetic to the fact he was looking for a new job because a couple of his superiors were as well!!