Writing a reference

calleyw

I have been asked to write a reference for someone and it has popped through the door earlier this week.

I have no idea what I am doing.

I have two boxes to fill.

One is comment on the suitability for the job from the job spec and the other is my impressions on suitability as well as strengths and weakness etc.

I worked with this person approx 4 years ago.

Can any one give any pointers so I need to get this done over the weekend to get it back ASAP.

Thanks in advance.

Yours

Calley

Voyager2002

calleyw wrote: »

I have been asked to write a reference for someone and it has popped through the door earlier this week.

I have no idea what I am doing.

I have two boxes to fill.

One is comment on the suitability for the job from the job spec and the other is my impressions on suitability as well as strengths and weakness etc.

I worked with this person approx 4 years ago.

Can any one give any pointers so I need to get this done over the weekend to get it back ASAP.

Thanks in advance.

Yours

Calley

You could ring the person and ask what s/he wants you to say.

AP007

calleyw wrote: »

I have been asked to write a reference for someone and it has popped through the door earlier this week.

I have no idea what I am doing.

I have two boxes to fill.

One is comment on the suitability for the job from the job spec and the other is my impressions on suitability as well as strengths and weakness etc.

I worked with this person approx 4 years ago.

Can any one give any pointers so I need to get this done over the weekend to get it back ASAP.

Thanks in advance.

Yours

Calley

you will have the info you need on the ex employees file, surely? Or appraisals?

Takeaway_Addict

Be truthful and factual, it can be a bad reference but you need to back up anything you may say.

calleyw

AP007 wrote: »

you will have the info you need on the ex employees file, surely? Or appraisals?

I was there colleague and not there boss.

Appraisals what are they :rotfl:

Yours

Calley

Takeaway_Addict

calleyw wrote: »

I was there colleague and not there boss.

Appraisals what are they :rotfl:

Yours

Calley

If you still work for the company now that the person you are doing a reference for then you HAVE to make sure its done as a friend and not as an employee of said company.

If you do a reference for a colleague and this is against the company rules you can get yourself into alot of bother

AP007

calleyw wrote: »

I was there colleague and not there boss.

Appraisals what are they :rotfl:

Yours

Calley

so why are you giving a ref? Do you still work at the same company? If you do are you allowed to do so?

calleyw

we are a small company with no handbook or contracts.

I doubt my boss could a monkeys I was asked rather than him. And how is he going to find out.

I am more interested in wording than if it is not allowed by company policy.

Yours

Calley

Takeaway_Addict

calleyw wrote: »

we are a small company with no handbook or contracts.

I doubt my boss could a monkeys I was asked rather than him. And how is he going to find out.

I am more interested in wording than if it is not allowed by company policy.

Yours

Calley

You've been for-warned , if you write a reference and it comes back on the company you are the one that will be in the firing line.

If he won't give a monkeys then why not talk to the boss and get it ok'd?

burnoutbabe

I write references and if i can't answer the questions, I just say minimal stuff.

If doing one for our company, "x worked for us as XYZ from here to then and was employed on £x." We don't tend to comment on their suitability to their job - I may say "no issues with timekeeping or honesty" if that is a specific question.

For an ex colleague, after i have left that firm I usually just say i worked with them for these dates and saw them doing "types of work xyz" and nice to be around etc.

Just say the minimum you can. No one can demand more!

AP007

calleyw wrote: »

we are a small company with no handbook or contracts.

I doubt my boss could a monkeys I was asked rather than him. And how is he going to find out.

I am more interested in wording than if it is not allowed by company policy.

Yours

Calley

small or large lets hope you are allowed to that's all I am saying

What if you lied on it and the person turned out to be not what you say? Will all come back to the company

Oh yes why do you have no contract or handbook?