I recently applied for a position at a local office of a quasi-governmental agency in the US and was excited to land an interview. However, the application process took a turn when they required a lengthy Word document that asked for six references—three professional and three personal. I found myself in a bit of a bind since I only have four vetted references that I'm currently in contact with. After 20 years in my career, along with the disruptions caused by the pandemic, I've lost touch with many former colleagues and I really don’t want to go hunting for them on social media. Additionally, I'm not comfortable involving my personal friends and family in my job search; I prefer to keep my professional and personal networks separate. This whole situation has led me to think that maybe this position isn't meant for me. I'm wondering if anyone can convince me otherwise or share their thoughts on how to handle this reference requirement.