Job applications contacting current employer

panda_eyes_2

Hi there,

I'm new to the forums and I'm looking for some advice.

At the moment I have a job, when I was interviewed for the job they said they would be looking for candidates who would commit to a minimum of six months, which at the time was no problem because I had no idea how bad of a time I would have in the job, not to mention I really did need to get a job as my old position was temporary and, well we all have bills to pay right? It wasn't in my contract I had to stay for six months just in the interview.

Fast forward to now and I've been working there for two months but I really am struggling, I dread going into work and it's getting me down to the point where my partner is asking me to see my doctor because he's worried about the effect it's having on my health. To me the answer seems to be apply for another job, hopefully one that will suit me better (the role I'm in now involves a lot of very pushy sales and whilst it's perfect for some people it just doesn't suit me) and free up the job I'm currently doing for someone who would enjoy it and get the full benefit of it.

My main concern is that if my currently employer finds out I've been applying for jobs what repercussions there will be for me. As much as I hate the job I'm doing I feel very grateful to be in work given the current job climate and can't really afford to lose my job.

Does anyone know what the chances of the jobs I'm applying to contacting my current employer are? If it's after interview, or (fingers crossed if I get offered one) after being offered another job to go to then I won't be so worried.

Also are my company likely to refuse to give a reference if I've left before that six month period?

Any advice/comments would be so appreciated! apologies this is quite a long post!

Notmyrealname

Your current employer could lay you off. Usually a prospective employer won't contact another until a firm job offer is going to be made.

Your current company can refuse to give you a reference or if you've had issues with your employment, give you a negative one. There is no law that says they have to give you a reference and they can give a bad one if it is factually correct.

However, ones health and wellbeing trumps all the above.

an9i77

Hi there. Although they did say in the interview that they wanted you to commit for six months, remember that a job is not a prison sentence and if it's not working out you don't have to stay. If it wasn't working out for them they wouldn't be sticking to the six month thing would they? Most companies will not contact your present employer until you have a conditional offer, I say most but that's not to say the odd rogue one wouldn't do it. But you don't have to give your current employer as a reference at the application stage anyway - you can just apply saying 'references available on request', or give previous employers but not the current one at this stage. The vast majority of the time an employer will not do reference checks until an offer is in the bag anyway, it's quite time consuming for them so no sense them doing it for every applicant. There are some exceptions to this depending on what type of job you do, but not many. I have only ever had a reference check prior to an offer once, and then was when the job was pretty much in the bag and they just wanted the references prior to making an offer. But it's much more common for the employer to make a conditional offer then get the checks.

No one can say if your employer will refuse to give a reference but I'd imagine they will give a reference but may state in it that you left early or whatever. Then again they may not say anything. If you have good reasons for why you left early (you can say you took the job because you were out of work, it wasn't for you because of xyz reasons) then hopefully the new employer would understand. Presumably you are not looking for exactly the same thing again if this job didn't work out?

As for your employer finding out you are looking for new jobs, I'd be careful. Try and get interview slots at the beginning or end of the day if you can. If you can't fit in to your existing schedule, you will need to either book time off or if that's really not an option, have the odd doctors appointment or sick day. A lot of people will frown on doing that, but if needs must then you'll have to weigh up the risk. Whatever you do, don't give them any clues that you are looking or have interviews, as you have not been there long they may show you the door.

panda_eyes_2

Notmyrealname wrote: »

Your current employer could lay you off. Usually a prospective employer won't contact another until a firm job offer is going to be made.

Your current company can refuse to give you a reference or if you've had issues with your employment, give you a negative one. There is no law that says they have to give you a reference and they can give a bad one if it is factually correct.

However, ones health and wellbeing trumps all the above.

Thank you for the advice

Other than the fact the job gets me down so much I haven't had any issues, if by that you mean getting into trouble, lateness etc and the people who I work with don't seem to be displeased with me. But because it's a very large company all the applications go straight to HR where I would basically just be a number so other than leaving after two months I don't think they would have anything bad to say, I hope not!

panda_eyes_2

an9i77 wrote: »

Hi there. Although they did say in the interview that they wanted you to commit for six months, remember that a job is not a prison sentence and if it's not working out you don't have to stay. If it wasn't working out for them they wouldn't be sticking to the six month thing would they?
That is very true, and the first six months are considered probation so they could just let me go at the end of it anyway.

Most companies will not contact your present employer until you have a conditional offer, I say most but that's not to say the odd rogue one wouldn't do it. But you don't have to give your current employer as a reference at the application stage anyway - you can just apply saying 'references available on request', or give previous employers but not the current one at this stage. The vast majority of the time an employer will not do reference checks until an offer is in the bag anyway, it's quite time consuming for them so no sense them doing it for every applicant. There are some exceptions to this depending on what type of job you do, but not many. I have only ever had a reference check prior to an offer once, and then was when the job was pretty much in the bag and they just wanted the references prior to making an offer. But it's much more common for the employer to make a conditional offer then get the checks.
At the moment the job I do is a sales job in the insurance industry, the jobs I'm looking at applying for aren't really linked, at the moment I'm looking at applying for the Department of Work and Pensions who are asking for the address of my current employer, which is what made me come a bit unstuck, usually I would follow your advice and put that references were available on request but they're asking for that information now.

No one can say if your employer will refuse to give a reference but I'd imagine they will give a reference but may state in it that you left early or whatever. Then again they may not say anything. If you have good reasons for why you left early (you can say you took the job because you were out of work, it wasn't for you because of xyz reasons) then hopefully the new employer would understand. Presumably you are not looking for exactly the same thing again if this job didn't work out?
No I'm hoping to get a job that isn't in a sales role, I've done that for a long time, first in retail then the job I have now and whilst I quite liked retail that was just what I fell into whilst at university. I would really like to teach an am applying but it's very competitive and I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket.

As for your employer finding out you are looking for new jobs, I'd be careful. Try and get interview slots at the beginning or end of the day if you can. If you can't fit in to your existing schedule, you will need to either book time off or if that's really not an option, have the odd doctors appointment or sick day. A lot of people will frown on doing that, but if needs must then you'll have to weigh up the risk. Whatever you do, don't give them any clues that you are looking or have interviews, as you have not been there long they may show you the door.

Thank you for all your advice, I really do appreciate it