references and the truth

scooby088

I have been applying for countless jobs and i believe one of my references has been going against me, but i have told the truth and said i was dismissed from my last employment. I was at my last real employer for 8 years and was dismissed using the disciplinary procedure all correct and above board from the company point of view.

Now the matter is that i have been at interview stage 6 times now even did a half a shift trial with one company and said i had the job depending on references and talking to other people within the company. Now what am asking i know it never wise to lie on application form but i am really desperate to find work now and can't think of anything else, i did ask for volunteer work for a decent reference but the jobcentre have told me that voluntary work is out of the question for some reason. I am at a loss of what i can do about my employability.

SarEl

Did you ask the jobcentre why you can't do voluntary work - because there is no reason why not and there are rules about being able to!

agrinnall

Do the voluntary work, don't tell the job centre, as long as you meet the requirements of your job seekers agreement what you do with the rest of your time (and in my view, where you do it) is nothing to do with them.

nexus2011

What were you dismissed for ?

InsideInsurance

Are you being open in the interviews about having been dismissed? What were you dismissed for exactly?

If you are telling them at interview you were sacked, they still make you a conditional offer but then withdraw the offer because of unsatisfactory references it suggests that the reference is saying something worse than what you are.

One option is to get some kind of voluntary work as to have a different "current or last" employer to give a reference. The second is if you had a manager at your former place of work that either you got on well with and/ or is the sort of person that doesnt care about doing things by the books who could give you a reference instead.

Skillz2

I am personally not sure how much good a reference from a voluntary job is going to help you in your situation. While, it certainly want hurt it is not going to be the silver bullet that some on here are suggesting because if you’re applying to an employer that is going to insists on a reference they are going to want one from the employer you spent 8 years at as it is going to be the biggest part of your employment history.

I am not sure how having a voluntary reference is going to get round this. I think insideinsurance gives some good advice if you have a friend or manager from your former work place who can give you a reference then that will certainly help.

Also it may be useful to let us know what sector you use to work and the sort of jobs you have had interviews for as people may be able give specific advice.

scooby088

Thank you so far for your input, the sector i worked in was manufacturing on the shop floor. I was dismissed using the disciplinary procedure which the last warning i received was for an unauthorised break, i did contest this and lost. I have only mentioned the voluntary reference because nearly everyone on here gives the advice of getting one. I do mention truthfully why i was sacked when asked. But would also an employer say i had a bad disciplinary record when giving a reference. I was once advised by a HR manager that i should put redundancy on the reason for leaving as they never checked references, i know companies are not all the same.

InsideInsurance

Companies will typically give a factual reference rather than a good or bad one. Given you are going off working for another company there is no benefit to your current/ former employer to say anything that may result in them being sued if it turned out to be biased or libelous etc. There is somewhat of a code that if a reference is refused then it really is THAT bad but of cause they cant be sued for libel when they havent actually said anything.

Some companies dont do references because of the above others still do as they are happy just checking the basics like how many days sick, method of leaving (resignation, sacked etc). It likewise depends on if your doing temp work or perm, a friend's been contracting for 12 years and has never once been referenced, perms are much more commonly referenced.

bluenoseam

Perhaps i'm wrong, but did i read somewhere you can ask to see references given for you? If this is the case then it may be an idea to do this to see if you perhaps need to word your applications & covering documentation accordingly. By all accounts voluntary work will give you another reference but the trouble is that with a dismissal on your record it's a black mark which is unfortunate - some people believe in second chances, others don't, you just need to get the right person, which kinda sucks!

dandelionclock30

Will an employment agency take you? or have you any friends who have their own buisnesses who could take you for a few shifts on a minimum wage basis? you could then use them as the previous employer.
I do know a variety of people who have been sacked and have got other jobs, I just think its compounded by the current job situation.
Apart from lying about what you've done for the past few years, i think the only thing you can do is say that since the dismissal you have done xyz and be able to prove it with a couple of strong references and put the ball in their court.
Im in the same situation and I wouldnt wish it on anyone.

InsideInsurance

bluenoseam wrote: »

Perhaps i'm wrong, but did i read somewhere you can ask to see references given for you?

You can of cause ask....

http://www.ico.gov.uk/Global/faqs/data_protection_for_the_public.aspx#f77A88237-4CA4-421E-87AC-119793AC4C67