need a reference from previous employer but

hannahsmamma

my old manager has left the firm and my old colleagues have left too or been transferred, how do i get a reference from this company ? at the moment i can't contact anyone who i worked with or who 'knew' my work, i have an interview on tuesday afternoon and have to give them a referee's name ect on the day ( if i am successful )help!!!

baybeebug

hannahsmamma wrote: »

my old manager has left the firm and my old colleagues have left too or been transferred, how do i get a reference from this company ? at the moment i can't contact anyone who i worked with or who 'knew' my work, i have an interview on tuesday afternoon and have to give them a referee's name ect on the day ( if i am successful )help!!!

Can you send it to the HR dept?

smileylondongal

baybeebug wrote: »

Can you send it to the HR dept?

I'd say keep trying for people you knew back then but I would contact the HR department just in case to ask for details you could pass on.

DCFC79

Get 1 from HR even if its just to confirm the period you were there and whatever else is included in a ref. Ive been told in the past to give details for HR and not a single person(althought this applies to just 1 job i had).

InsideInsurance

It is exceptionally rare that managers etc can now give work references due to companies fears of being sued if the information turns out to be either inaccurate or libelous. HR departments normally do all references and only answer the factual questions (dates of employment, reason for leaving, days off sick) rather than the opinion based ones (were they a good worker, would you hire them again)

hannahsmamma

thanks everyone, I will contact HR department today.

t0rt0ise

InsideInsurance wrote: »

It is exceptionally rare that managers etc can now give work references

I must have worked in all the exceptionally rare jobs then because it's still done that way where I've been.

redcard

t0rt0ise wrote: »

I must have worked in all the exceptionally rare jobs then because it's still done that way where I've been.

We must have worked in the same places.

I've never once given HR as my point of contact. And no interviewer has ever asked for HR as a reference.

InsideInsurance

Doesn't matter who you give as the reference. Back in my call centre days I would probably receive 2 or 3 requests a month for references but all were just immediately redirected to HR (or Personnel as they were called there) and they would respond.

t0rt0ise

Ah well, call centres are obviously different. Don't assume that everywhere is like your call centre.

InsideInsurance

Haven't worked in a call centre for 12 years and so wasn't comparing it simply to call centres, every bank, insurer, utility provider, shop, media agency, advertising agency, consultancy and restaurant have been the same. Likewise every company I have written to for a reference it has come back from HR irrespective of if I wrote to them or the previous line manager.

Obviously not every company even has a HR department.