Job References

Debtfreemoo · 26 September 2016 at 9:15AM

Hello
I have had a job interview for a local authority and they have offered me the job subject to two references and a dbs check.

I was offered the job two weeks ago so I emailed my previous employer who I left a year and half ago, just saying 'hope your ok, just to let you know that a prospective employer might contact you for a reference and I hope that's ok'
They never replied to me and it's worrying me now.
It was a very small family run business, I was off sick with depression and anxiety for a few weeks then handed in my notice. Work contributed to the anxiety, hence me leaving. But I kept everything professional right to the end, I was never informed anything negative whilst at work, in regards to my work/time keeping etc and only sickness I had was the last few weeks before I left.

Prospective employer emailed my referees on Wednesday gone. I know my current manager has sent his glowing reference on Friday but no clue whether previous employer has.

Has anyone being in a similar situation ?
If previous employer refuses to respond to request, what will prospective employer do ?

My current employer now knows as he received the job reference and he's going to inform my supervisor today who will then inform my colleagues. So I'm panicking if my previous employer ignores reference request and they withdraw the offer then I have to go back in to work and tell them I'm not leaving now (I haven't handed in my notice)
Due to the anxiety/depression, I'm stressing about this more than I should and making up a thousand scenario's in my head at the minute.
Thanks for reading

marmite1979 · 26 September 2016 at 10:43AM

I am in a similar situation.
I have worked for a number of very large companies who have a policy of not giving out references to former employees. & I didn't do to well in my last place of work whom I doubt would give me a favourable one.
This is in part my own fault for trying job's that I am totally unsuitable for.
I have lost touch with many former colleagues who may have given me one in the job's I was good at and enjoyed.
Thus I am forced to into giving details of friends and relatives who's details I can remember while filling in application forms(these cannot be submitted without the references section completed) just so I am able to submit the application I often do not tell them I have done so as the answer might be ''I cannot''. or truthfully ''be bothered''.
I don't have many close friends or a big social circle and am no longer in touch with the ones I was anymore.

I apply for up to twenty positions this way each week so after a couple of months I will have exhausted the patience of the few Referees I have if only a quarter employers contacted them.
I have tried asking the Job Centre ''Work Coaches'' even ones that I've know personally through other activities for years. if they will help me by being a Professional Referee , but they refuse.
This is my major barrier from gaining employment.
My CV, applications and interview skills are pretty good. It's the reference that's the stumbling point.

Debtfreemoo · 26 September 2016 at 11:02AM

Thanks for your reply. I did a similar role to the one I've applied for, a few years ago and have the details of that boss who I know would give me a good reference.
It's just the hanging around waiting that makes my anxiety worse.
Im off work today and know my big boss was informing supervisor, who in turn will tell colleague. So I'm worried about what they'll all be saying right now

There very clicky in the office...nice as pie to my face but I know they discuss me behind my back, be that any mistake I make at work or a personal comment I've made about my life etc.
I just wish that the prospective employer would let me know what's happening.
They haven't sent out a DBS form yet , wonder if there waiting on references until they do this.
As they have received my current boss reference on Friday I can only assume they've not yet recieved the previous employers one.
I know it's only Monday but the more time it is the more I stress, especially with my current employers being aware.

missbiggles1 · 26 September 2016 at 11:16AM

Debtfreemoo wrote: »

Hello
I have had a job interview for a local authority and they have offered me the job subject to two references and a dbs check.

I was offered the job two weeks ago so I emailed my previous employer who I left a year and half ago, just saying 'hope your ok, just to let you know that a prospective employer might contact you for a reference and I hope that's ok'
They never replied to me and it's worrying me now.
It was a very small family run business, I was off sick with depression and anxiety for a few weeks then handed in my notice. Work contributed to the anxiety, hence me leaving. But I kept everything professional right to the end, I was never informed anything negative whilst at work, in regards to my work/time keeping etc and only sickness I had was the last few weeks before I left.

Prospective employer emailed my referees on Wednesday gone. I know my current manager has sent his glowing reference on Friday but no clue whether previous employer has.

Has anyone being in a similar situation ?
If previous employer refuses to respond to request, what will prospective employer do ?

My current employer now knows as he received the job reference and he's going to inform my supervisor today who will then inform my colleagues. So I'm panicking if my previous employer ignores reference request and they withdraw the offer then I have to go back in to work and tell them I'm not leaving now (I haven't handed in my notice)
Due to the anxiety/depression, I'm stressing about this more than I should and making up a thousand scenario's in my head at the minute.
Thanks for reading

I hope it isn't the case but they may well be offended by the off hand way in which you've asked for a reference - many would be. It also sounds as if you've given their name as a reference without asking first, which is another big mistake.

If something's that important to you, it would be worthwhile to be more courteous in your request and to make it before giving their name rather than after.

missbiggles1 · 26 September 2016 at 11:19AM

marmite1979 wrote: »

I am in a similar situation.
I have worked for a number of very large companies who have a policy of not giving out references to former employees. & I didn't do to well in my last place of work whom I doubt would give me a favourable one.
This is in part my own fault for trying job's that I am totally unsuitable for.
I have lost touch with many former colleagues who may have given me one in the job's I was good at and enjoyed.
Thus I am forced to into giving details of friends and relatives who's details I can remember while filling in application forms(these cannot be submitted without the references section completed) just so I am able to submit the application I often do not tell them I have done so as the answer might be ''I cannot''. or truthfully ''be bothered''.
I don't have many close friends or a big social circle and am no longer in touch with the ones I was anymore.

I apply for up to twenty positions this way each week so after a couple of months I will have exhausted the patience of the few Referees I have if only a quarter employers contacted them.
I have tried asking the Job Centre ''Work Coaches'' even ones that I've know personally through other activities for years. if they will help me by being a Professional Referee , but they refuse.
This is my major barrier from gaining employment.
My CV, applications and interview skills are pretty good. It's the reference that's the stumbling point.

I'm sorry, that's even worse. You really shouldn't be putting anybody down as a reference without asking (and I do mean asking, not telling) them for permision to do so.

marmite1979 · 26 September 2016 at 11:23AM

I have no Idea why Employers even bother with references anymore.
I mean if you can get ones you are hardly going to list ones that will give you a bad one are you.
How many are fake?
My other let down is I am honest, I cannot lie. If they ask me about a previous job I tell the truth & that Employer will also know ho I felt in that job.

marmite1979 · 26 September 2016 at 11:41AM

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I'm sorry, that's even worse. You really shouldn't be putting anybody down as a reference without asking (and I do mean asking, not telling) them for permision to do so.

What should I do then? When filling in online applications you have to fill the reference part in there and then. I have a small number of people who may give me one so add them. All I'm really after is a quick Telephone/Email Reference
I apply for at least twenty jobs a week even the most patient will get cheesed off with a few contacting them for references every week.
Some Employers will contact Companies I have worked with, sadly the best places I worked that would give glowing appraisals for my performance at will not give out references as company policy.
I have done an awful lot of entry level Agency/temporary jobs so rarely get to know colleagues that well, let alone well enough to ask them to be a referee and rarely even speak to management levels.
Other old employers/colleagues have either closed down, retired, moved & don't bother with social media so finding them is hard.

Other than being dishonest and finding Fake References I'm stuck.

Debtfreemoo · 26 September 2016 at 11:49AM

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I hope it isn't the case but they may well be offended by the off hand way in which you've asked for a reference - many would be. It also sounds as if you've given their name as a reference without asking first, which is another big mistake.

If something's that important to you, it would be worthwhile to be more courteous in your request and to make it before giving their name rather than after.

Hi
Thanks for your reply.
When I handed my notice in with previous employer , I put in my resignation letter ' I hope I can count on your for a reference in the future' or something along those lines and they were fine. So I had already mentioned future references as soon as I left.
My email wasn't just that one line I wrote above, I just shortened it for on here.
The exact email was

Hi ********

It's been a while, I hope everything's ok with you and your family and your still loving the new office

Just wanted to give you a heads up that ******** will be getting in touch with you for a Job Reference as I have passed the interview stage for a job there.

I hope this is ok with you ?

I feel that I had already permission to request a reference back when I resigned and then rather than just letting prospective employer contact them, I emailed first to let them know.

ohreally · 26 September 2016 at 11:52AM

marmite1979 wrote: »

All I'm really after is a quick Telephone/Email Reference

That is unlikely to satisfy and employer, most references will be sought from previous HR dept.

ThemeOne · 26 September 2016 at 11:53AM

Past employers are contacted all the time for references, it goes with the territory of being a past employer, so I doubt they'd take offence, even if you hadn't let them know at all.

I understand it's fairly common now for past employers to only provide very neutral written references (basically just confirming your job title and employment dates) for fear of being sued if they say anything detrimental, or held liable if they are too positive! What they might say if the prospective employer simply phones them up could be different of course.

Also it's not even been a week yet since the reference request went out, so I would sit tight for the moment - after all, you don't even know there's a problem yet. I know you're fearful of the job offer disappearing, but let your prospective new employer's HR people deal with it for the moment.

Undervalued · 26 September 2016 at 11:56AM

ThemeOne wrote: »

Past employers are contacted all the time for references, it goes with the territory of being a past employer, so I doubt they'd take offence, even if you hadn't let them know at all.

I understand it's fairly common now for past employers to only provide very neutral written references (basically just confirming your job title and employment dates) for fear of being sued if they say anything detrimental, or held liable if they are too positive! What they might say if the prospective employer simply phones them up could be different of course.

Also it's not even been a week yet since the reference request went out, so I would sit tight for the moment - after all, you don't even know there's a problem yet.

Yes, it is fairly common but not universal by any means. Depends to some extent on the industry.

Job References

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free