Problems with getting reference

Furrtiv

Hi guys, got another reference problem and as I think some of you may have experience in HR/recruiting, or even been in a similar situation, you might be able to help.

I received a job offer a couple of days ago, and obviously they wanted two references. First one I gave was from a friend who is a professional and also ran a social club I participated in, and he was happy to give one, no problem.

However, my most recent employer has, according to the HR of the prospective employer, been unable to provide a reference. This made me very upset and angry, and I'll explain why;

I was made redundant last October due to there not being work for me anymore. We went through the correct procedure, and I asked a couple of times about references and was told that this wouldn't be a problem. An independant witness was present at the redundancy meetings, and notes were being taken. Now, I went through these meetings with my boss's fiancee, who also works there and was kind of my boss, too, like she was second-in-command of the company, so to speak (very small company, only half a dozen employees including boss). The independant witness was the HR consultant of a neighbouring large company who agreed to help with the meetings, to mak sure procedure was followed. No problems so far.

So I went away with my due redundancy pay and feeling like there's be no problems, and put down the employer as a referee without thinking further on it. I did, however, put down the boss's name and not his fiancee's, as he's the company owner. My concern is that maybe she agreed to references verbally, but he's ecided he doesn't want to give one. I don't have a company handbook for this place, so don't know if he's decided to change policy since I left, or if it was ever a policy to simply not give references anyway as some companies are ike that, but if so, I wasn't told during my redundancy meetings.

My personal reasoning is that myself and the boss didn't always see eye-to-eye, and there were some issues in the last year I was working there, but I thought these had been sorted. The main issue was that I was having aevere trouble with machine noise, and saw my doctor about it, and this did cause some bad feeling, but I never stopped working, my timekeeping was good, and I never said or wrote anything that could be detrimental to the company.

Thankfully, I've managed to contact a previous employer from 2005 who'd happy to give a reference so hopefully the job will still be mine, but I wonder what effect this will have? Will it look bad that my last employer refuses to give a reference? I was assured verbally of getting one in the redundancy meetings, does that count for anything?

Where should I go from here? I'll be devastated if I don't get this job, and I feel like my future rests on the whim of a vindictive person.

Should I contact my previous employer (in a friendly manner)? I've telephoned them today, but received no response, and don't feel up to handling a phone conversation anyway. Could I contact the independant person who was at my meetings?

This has stressed me right out and I'm really, really worried that my future may be scuppered because my previous boss and I didn't really get along, although there was nothing wrong with my work and I thought I had left on reasonable terms, even if we weren't best buddies. Besides which, would a personality clash (remember, I didn't ever say or write anything nasty about the place or the people) really be grounds for not giving a reference?

I just feel like I've been told one thing by someone at this company, and then the boss has decided to do something else. It feels like betrayal.

Any help/sensible advice, and opinions from recruiters regarding how you'd respond to this, would be helpful. Has anyone working in recruitment ever come across a potential employee with these problems? I really can't go and say to the new employers that my ex boss was, shall we say, rather difficult, as that would just look whiney and sound terrible. And how would a recruiter feel about being provided with a reference that was from six or seven years ago?

It doesn't look good for me right now.

Emmzi

There is no legal obligation to provide a reference. So just tell new employer he hasn't responded and they are more than welcome to go direct.

Did you tell new employer you were made redundant and do you have paperwork to show that? If so I would take that in along with contract, payslips, anything to show you were in work for the period you were. New employer is generally trying to prove you were not in jail, drug smuggling, anything dodgy etc when you say you were working.

Furrtiv

My new employer did go direct to my previous one, via email. I do have redundancy papers, I have had the interview, all it hinges on the references now. I managed to find another previous employer, just that it was from years ago although they were happy to give me a reference, so hopefully I'm just borrowing worry and it will all turn out okay.
I am just angry that I was told I'd get one, and didn't. And of course, I'm worried about losing the job because of this.

Emmzi

I am afraid all you can do is provide what paperwork you can, and cross your fingers! Good luck.

dandelionclock30

I think a lot will depend on what job it is and the employer.If its for a professional job then without a last employer reference I cant see you being employed.
However if its for a general job, the employer may accept a previous reference from another employer and character references. The new employer may wonder why they wont provide you with a reference and may think its because you have left on bad terms etc.
Can you talk to the new empoyer and just explain?

Furrtiv

The new employer is for a specialist painter assistant in an artist's studio, so I'm unsure. I was hoping that, with the speed with which I provided another reference (done today, telephoned the chap and passed on his details to the new employer) that it would be okay.

Would it still be worth contacting my previous employer via email, in a polite and friendly manner, to ask why they wouldn't provide one? I have a horrible suspicion it's because the boss is being vindictive and unreasonable, but obviously I can't mention this to either hi or the potential employer.

It's really doing my head in, but nothing I can do about it I suppose.

dandelionclock30

If they wont provide you with a reference, do you think they will answer you? I'd just give prooof of your redundancy to the new employers and previous appraisals etc and other references.If they want you,I cant see it being that much of a big deal. You can prove you havent been sacked and its not for a job like being a nurse or something where you would have to have a reference.

Furrtiv

Thanks, I just worry so much! The prospective employer simply stated that my previous employer wouldn't provide a reference, and was there anyone else who could? So I immediately gt on the blower and found another one who's happy to do so, hopefully that and the fact that they really liked my test work, and contacted me within a couple of days from the interview to offer the job to me, means that they want me working there and hopefully this is just a glitch. They haven't asked for proof of my redundancy, but I'll dig it out anyway.

Annisele

Furrtiv wrote: »

The prospective employer simply stated that my previous employer wouldn't provide a reference, and was there anyone else who could?

I think that's a positive sign. Prospective employer could have just said "we have not received satisfactory references", which would have been true, and then declined to employ you on that basis.

I wouldn't bother contacting ex-employer unless it starts to look as though prospective employer isn't going to employ you.

Furrtiv

That's what I thought. "Unable to provide", sounds better than "would not give", so hopefully I can put this behind me.

Also, someone I did some contract work for when I was doing a coupe of months' freelance work ages ago has also provided me with a reference to forward, which is great, so I'm going to do that soon.

I just got very upset that my previous employer promised me one thing, then reneged on it, but as it wasn't in writing, there's not much I can do. Apart from scratch that particular employer as a referee from my CV.

wapow

Your previous MANAGERS FIANCE agreed for a reference.
The manager you didnt speak to so ofcourse he will refuse for whatever reason.

Get on the phone and speak to the lady. Whether you are comfortable or not.
Dont whine and start moaning about the main boss if you do get a hold of her. Just say your next employer put in a reference request, it was declined, you agreed with her that she will provide, get HER email address.

Then follow on. IF you think it is required now - Although it seems you have done enough.