Post Compromise Agreement Advice

vickyc82

Hi,

My employment was recently ended after 4.5 years with a compromise agreement. This was unexpected and the reason given was that performance wasn't up to scratch (the company is really struggling and half the sales team have been laid off in this way.)

I've had an excellent employment law barrister fight my case and got me a cracking deal which I'm happy with except that the employer refused to give me a reason I can give a new employer as to my leaving the business.

I have a confidentiality clause in the agreement where I'm not allowed to mention it. I loved my job so I'm struggling to think of a reason why I left without sounding bitter. Work agreed to say that I resigned from my post.

Has anyone else been in this situation?

AJ1982

Did u get a reference written in with your compromise agreement?

vickyc82

I did. Standard reference which states that I resigned from the company.

bloolagoon

Economic climate meant I wanted to try new things

katsu

Organisational restructure is a fairly safe phrase. Something like "they needed to downsize the team and there was an attractive package available so I took it". All of that would seem justifiable from what you have posted. You can then go on to say that having loved ABC, you thought you would take the opportunity to do A&B in a new business sector/whatever is relevant to the role. Get over to the positive and focus on the new role, not your old job.

I have had a number of interviewees mention that they have signed CAs and I've never felt the need to call their old employer to tell them so I'd suggest the issue is more with your "avoiding sounding bitter" as that is what raises most concern for the new employer (although clearly you should avoid mentioning the CA).

I have often advised them to practice talking about why they left so that they can learn to do it without being emotional - practice with a friend asking that interview question until you have a short simple answer. Don't repeat yourself or get into loads of detail.

Hope this helps.

marlot

I agree with Katsu - practice saying why you left. I thought I knew exactly what I was going to say, but fluffed it at the first interview.

peterbaker

It is long past time that questions like those about why you left a previous job and "references" were outlawed completely. Just look at the suggestions here about weaving a web of deceit in order to throw an employer of the scent of some upset which frankly is none of their business. What basis is that for the start of a good relationship with a new employer??

Being required to engage in discussion of such things are throwbacks to the disgusting dark days of class discrimination and 'doffing your cap to the guvnor'.

Improvements in the jobs market and general working environment have been steadily reversed over the past 10 years so some practices now reflect the dark days of the 1930s.

As it is now so easy again to hire and fire and to discriminate against, unfairly pressure and cheat employees, the only appropriate questions are:

• "What are your qualifications and skills?"
• "What is your level of experience in the work this job entails?"
• "Do you think you can do this job? Tell me how and why."
• "Have you any Criminal Convictions or Prosecutions Pending?"
• "Have you any questions?"
• "When Can You Start?"

Questions and requirements to disclose anything else pander to the stinking undercurrent of discrimination and victimisation that pervades in the UK recruitment industry, to grossly inflated HR departments playing God Almighty with bucketloads of subjectivity, and the verminous purveyors of information held in illegal databases (blacklists).

All these nefarious non-job activities should be scaled down under pressure of human rights and such that remains of employment law, and discussions and correspondence between prospective and previous employers of any kind should be completely banned. Allowing such practice to continue the way it does is tantamount to allowing lunatics to run asylums, or untrained unregulated journalists to publish tabloid front pages. How on earth have we got to where we are at?

ILW

peterbaker wrote: »

It is long past time that questions like those about why you left a previous job and "references" were outlawed completely. Just look at the suggestions here about weaving a web of deceit in order to throw an employer of the scent of some upset which frankly is none of their business. What basis is that for the start of a good relationship with a new employer??

Being required to engage in discussion of such things are throwbacks to the disgusting dark days of class discrimination and 'doffing your cap to the guvnor'.

Improvements in the jobs market and general working environment have been steadily reversed over the past 10 years so some practices now reflect the dark days of the 1930s.

As it is now so easy again to hire and fire and to discriminate against, unfairly pressure and cheat employees, the only appropriate questions are:

• "What are your qualifications and skills?"
• "What is your level of experience in the work this job entails?"
• "Do you think you can do this job? Tell me how and why."
• "Have you any Criminal Convictions or Prosecutions Pending?"
• "Have you any questions?"
• "When Can You Start?"

Questions and requirements to disclose anything else pander to the stinking undercurrent of discrimination and victimisation that pervades in the UK recruitment industry, to grossly inflated HR departments playing God Almighty with bucketloads of subjectivity, and the verminous purveyors of information held in illegal databases (blacklists).

All these nefarious non-job activities should be scaled down under pressure of human rights and such that remains of employment law, and discussions and correspondence between prospective and previous employers of any kind should be completely banned. Allowing such practice to continue the way it does is tantamount to allowing lunatics to run asylums, or untrained unregulated journalists to publish tabloid front pages. How on earth have we got to where we are at?

You have obviously never had to take a risk on employing someone that could be a disaster for your business.

Jimmy Savile loved people with your attitude.

warmhands.coldheart

vickyc82 wrote: »

I did. Standard reference which states that I resigned from the company.

Why say you resigned...... If I was an employer I'd then be questioning why you resigned when you had no other job to go to!! Take any reason for your unemployment out of the "Standard" reference. all you need it to say is ... You were an employee of X company for Y years and you were made redundant due to company re-structuring and you had no performance issues...... End Off !! Any potential employer doesn't need to know exact reasons.....

peterbaker

ILW wrote: »

You have obviously never had to take a risk on employing someone that could be a disaster for your business.

Jimmy Savile loved people with your attitude.

I have recruited for my own business and others using my own judgement not that of some anonymous self-righteous indignant abdicator like you. You post like you recruit and forget, just like you might also fire and forget. I expect you like it both ways for an easy life?

What kind of brain fart caused you to link my post with the name of the infamous child abuser at the BBC, clever !!!!!! ?

Are you ex BBC or something ?

Merry Christmas.

Takeaway_Addict

peterbaker wrote: »

It is long past time that questions like those about why you left a previous job and "references" were outlawed completely. Just look at the suggestions here about weaving a web of deceit in order to throw an employer of the scent of some upset which frankly is none of their business. What basis is that for the start of a good relationship with a new employer??

Being required to engage in discussion of such things are throwbacks to the disgusting dark days of class discrimination and 'doffing your cap to the guvnor'.

Improvements in the jobs market and general working environment have been steadily reversed over the past 10 years so some practices now reflect the dark days of the 1930s.

As it is now so easy again to hire and fire and to discriminate against, unfairly pressure and cheat employees, the only appropriate questions are:

• "What are your qualifications and skills?"
• "What is your level of experience in the work this job entails?"
• "Do you think you can do this job? Tell me how and why."
• "Have you any Criminal Convictions or Prosecutions Pending?"
• "Have you any questions?"
• "When Can You Start?"

Questions and requirements to disclose anything else pander to the stinking undercurrent of discrimination and victimisation that pervades in the UK recruitment industry, to grossly inflated HR departments playing God Almighty with bucketloads of subjectivity, and the verminous purveyors of information held in illegal databases (blacklists).

All these nefarious non-job activities should be scaled down under pressure of human rights and such that remains of employment law, and discussions and correspondence between prospective and previous employers of any kind should be completely banned. Allowing such practice to continue the way it does is tantamount to allowing lunatics to run asylums, or untrained unregulated journalists to publish tabloid front pages. How on earth have we got to where we are at?

Totally disagree, why should I just have the random luck in choosing an employee. I should be allowed to weed out as best as possible those that will cause problems to the company I work for.

In your method you may as well just pick a CV out of a hat and start them working!

Ridiculous