Do employers check references?

RyanJL345

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Varies, most of the time they want a written response so they have evidence so email or post.

Now, if you have worked for someone I know, I will phone them for an informal/ off the record reference but that normally would be prior to even interviewing you. Insurance is a small world so this is fairly common

Ah, I always thought they just gave them a call for part time retail/bar jobs. I guess that helps then because I doubt he'll risk putting it down in black and white.

I'll wait it out and see how it goes then, thank you

Denning.

Get a friend to ring your last company and ask them for a reference for you, see what they give out.

It really depends on the company, bigger it is more likely they have a dedicate HR team with strict policies. Higher up the position the more likely they will check.

IMO most references are done to verify your employment history rather than verify the individual characteristics as most people understand how bias they can be when it comes that stuff.

Ebe_Scrooge

Certainly every company I've worked for give out very generic references - literally just confirming that you worked for them from <start date> until <end date>. It's too much of a risk for them these days - if they say one bad thing about you that could be construed as subjective, and that results in you not getting the new job, it opens up a whole can of worms for them which they'd rather not have to deal with.

I suppose if it were something serious like being sacked for gross misconduct, then that may get mentioned, I'm not sure. But from what you've said I wouldn't worry, if anything it'll just say "left voluntarily", which is perfectly fine. You don't really need to elaborate on why you chose to leave.

j.smith1981

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

Certainly every company I've worked for give out very generic references - literally just confirming that you worked for them from <start date> until <end date>. It's too much of a risk for them these days - if they say one bad thing about you that could be construed as subjective, and that results in you not getting the new job, it opens up a whole can of worms for them which they'd rather not have to deal with.

I suppose if it were something serious like being sacked for gross misconduct, then that may get mentioned, I'm not sure. But from what you've said I wouldn't worry, if anything it'll just say "left voluntarily", which is perfectly fine. You don't really need to elaborate on why you chose to leave.

I'd entirely agree I have a friend who's a manager at a very large company, all they tend to do is give out basically you attended there and say nothing about what you actually did other than your job title.

They don't simply want to run the risk of being sued somehow for claiming you did or didn't do what you said in your application. Would make sense especially if you aren't supervised for your work, I wasn't for my previous work before going freelance, just asked for techie type help when I needed it.

How did it turn out?

Also to put a finer point on things, it's actually against employment law to make a bad reference to someone as well. The thing is out of courtesy if you get on with the referee you listed to ask them if they'd be willing to give you one, what a referee should do though if they're thinking about giving you a bad reference is simply deny giving you one, which is why you should always ask them prior to listing them as a referee.

amiehall

Why would it be against the law to give someone a bad reference?

If I had conclusive evidence that you had stolen from me for example and then I wrote in a reference that you were sacked for stealing (surely a "bad reference"!) what crime exactly have I committed?

j.smith1981

[HUGE EDIT] waffled of waffled in the last one.

Judging by this (suppose it should be accurate): http://www.totaljobs.com/careers-advice/cvs-and-applications/getting-a-bad-reference it is not illegal to submit a bad reference as long as what the referee is writing is fair and accurate (as it states).

Most though like I said simply will refuse to do one, also like a previous poster said.

Good to know but I will admit I was wrong, though I haven't ever had to write one. Be a good tool for when I do have to at some point in my life.

So basically it's a grey area, but legal and illegal depending upon the circumstances of what's written in the reference and what actually happened in the person's previous employment.

As I think I said before why ask for one off a previous employer if they are going to get a bad one? Unless you ultimately have to, though I to be honest don't see why anyone would do that.

GothicStirling

I would hope that a retailer (who is trusting you with thousands of pounds, customer's bank details etc) is checking your references. Most of the jobs I seem to be applying for these days are asking for a DRB as well (but I work mostly in museums and heritage, with children and vulnerable people.)

RyanJL345

Denning. wrote: »

Get a friend to ring your last company and ask them for a reference for you, see what they give out.

It really depends on the company, bigger it is more likely they have a dedicate HR team with strict policies. Higher up the position the more likely they will check.

IMO most references are done to verify your employment history rather than verify the individual characteristics as most people understand how bias they can be when it comes that stuff.

Great advice. I emailed their recruitment and they directed me to the department that deals with the references. They take up to five working days to get back to you but I don't have the induction until Sunday, when I have to provide the references, so hopefully I'll have got something back by then.

Thanks for all the help, really appreciate it. I'll let you know how it goes

Torry_Quine

amiehall wrote: »

Why would it be against the law to give someone a bad reference?

If I had conclusive evidence that you had stolen from me for example and then I wrote in a reference that you were sacked for stealing (surely a "bad reference"!) what crime exactly have I committed?

It's not against the law to give a 'bad' reference as long as like your example it's correct.