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ARCOrbit

Hi everyone.

This would be great for me. I'm claiming ESA at the moment because of health problems - I'm mostly housebound but could do this from home!

I'm just not sure what to do about references. Do you think it would put them off that I've not been working? Especially because of health problems.

Also my last employer was pretty unpleasant so I'd rather use the one before them for a reference - and have a character reference for the 2nd reference.

That would make it look as if I've been out of work longer than I have been.

What would you do? Risk using the nasty employer or have a longer gap in employment?

Thanks for any advice.

FinanciallyUnsavvy

ARCOrbit wrote: »

Hi everyone.

This would be great for me. I'm claiming ESA at the moment because of health problems - I'm mostly housebound but could do this from home!

I'm just not sure what to do about references. Do you think it would put them off that I've not been working? Especially because of health problems.

Also my last employer was pretty unpleasant so I'd rather use the one before them for a reference - and have a character reference for the 2nd reference.

That would make it look as if I've been out of work longer than I have been.

What would you do? Risk using the nasty employer or have a longer gap in employment?

Thanks for any advice.

I think either way you do it, it should be fine. I'm not sure mine have ever contacted my references (my manager has never mentioned anything anyway!) and the speed of which my application was processed certainly wouldn't have given them much time to get them.

I'd put down whichever two you're most confident about. The test stage of the application is much more important than references or anything else. As long as you can show them you're capable of doing the job, you're fine!

ARCOrbit

FinanciallyUnsavvy wrote: »

I think either way you do it, it should be fine. I'm not sure mine have ever contacted my references (my manager has never mentioned anything anyway!) and the speed of which my application was processed certainly wouldn't have given them much time to get them.

I'd put down whichever two you're most confident about. The test stage of the application is much more important than references or anything else. As long as you can show them you're capable of doing the job, you're fine!

Thank you! That's reassuring. This would be so good for me. I just have to pass the test then!

Thanks again.

kiss_me_now9

I've emailed in (we'll see what response I get) - just had a few questions.

Like ARCO, I'm a bit worried about references. I currently have a full time job but I don't want them to be approached for a reference because it's fixed term, but I'm hoping that it'll be extended. If they are approached, it may look a bit :S when I turn around in a month and ask for my contract to continue on. I know due to my line of work (recruitment) that references can take forever, so if other say that they were starting on the Tuesday when they were told they were successful on the Monday, then I doubt they will be approaching them - we wait weeks most of the time for ours to come back.

Secondly, like I said I work full time, and am often out at the gym in the evenings. Do you think I could do say, an hour a day (9pm to 10pm) Monday to Wednesday and then a few hours (7pm to 10pm) Thursday Friday and make the rest up at weekends, or does it have to be week days?

Wizzbang

I am self-employed so I am putting myself in the references and asking them to contact me if they want previous client recommendations. I think I have a couple of copy letters from previous applications if needed. But I don't want anyone being contacted about this kind of work, frankly! All the information contained in the references would be wholly irrelevant anyway, as it relates to my professional work.

Tombola591

kiss_me_now9 wrote: »

I've emailed in (we'll see what response I get) - just had a few questions.

Like ARCO, I'm a bit worried about references. I currently have a full time job but I don't want them to be approached for a reference because it's fixed term, but I'm hoping that it'll be extended. If they are approached, it may look a bit :S when I turn around in a month and ask for my contract to continue on. I know due to my line of work (recruitment) that references can take forever, so if other say that they were starting on the Tuesday when they were told they were successful on the Monday, then I doubt they will be approaching them - we wait weeks most of the time for ours to come back.

Secondly, like I said I work full time, and am often out at the gym in the evenings. Do you think I could do say, an hour a day (9pm to 10pm) Monday to Wednesday and then a few hours (7pm to 10pm) Thursday Friday and make the rest up at weekends, or does it have to be week days?

Perhaps you could skip your current employer as a reference - and just add a note with the application that you'd prefer your current employer wasn't approached?

This is part-time evening work, which shouldn't affect your current job anyway - so perhaps your current employer would understand?

I haven't had time to finish my application yet so can't answer your other question - about hours, but I'd say just go for it! There's no harm in applying.

I hope you and ARCOrbit manage to sort the reference issues out. And good luck to all three of us with our applications!

Tombola591

Wizzbang wrote: »

I am self-employed so I am putting myself in the references and asking them to contact me if they want previous client recommendations. I think I have a couple of copy letters from previous applications if needed. But I don't want anyone being contacted about this kind of work, frankly! All the information contained in the references would be wholly irrelevant anyway, as it relates to my professional work.

I posted before I saw your post. What you're doing is a good idea! I'm also self-employed and, like you, I'd prefer my references weren't approached....Some of the people I do work for are fairly impatient and don't like being contacted all the time. I've given those I put down a heads up - and they've agreed to do it, but if I apply for anything else like this in future, I think I'd just do what you're doing.

wishicouldaffordit

Wizzbang wrote: »

I am self-employed so I am putting myself in the references and asking them to contact me if they want previous client recommendations. I think I have a couple of copy letters from previous applications if needed. But I don't want anyone being contacted about this kind of work, frankly! All the information contained in the references would be wholly irrelevant anyway, as it relates to my professional work.

They don't contact your references.

geministar2008

Wizzbang i have just sent an email with the 2 links in your post... thank you. I looked on the website but no positions listed but there was tweet on twitter the other week. So will see what happens.

CreditCrunchie

Still heard nothing back. Has anyone else?