Checking what reference I will get.

Nathaniel_Essex

Hey guys,

A couple weeks ago I had my contract terminated at work. Completely out of the blue and was assured I would get a good reference. I'm curious about what they will say, especially if joining a rival company, as a previous employee who left told me they had given him some kind of trouble around his reference.

What do employers usually ask for and what is usually sent? I am thinking of requesting a reference under a false name to see what they say.

nicechap

If you did that, and they sent you a reference saying you were known to lie or deceive people, would you have a problem with that?

TELLIT01

Companies don't have to give any reference if they don't want to. Many companies these days simply say the start and end date of employment with some adding the job title.
The idea of requesting a reference in a false name isn't a good one. If they did realise what you were doing they may well then refuse any reference after that.

[Deleted User]

Nathaniel_Essex wrote: »

A couple weeks ago I had my contract terminated at work. Completely out of the blue and was assured I would get a good reference. I'm curious about what they will say, especially if joining a rival company, as a previous employee who left told me they had given him some kind of trouble around his reference.

You've had it confirmed you'll get a 'good' reference whilst there is no statutory duty to provide one. Why did you not ask directly what the reference policy was there and there.

At the time of the ex colleague having trouble you should have brought it up in general or as above gone to better lengths to find out the policy when you were told you'd have a good reference lure - and quizzed them then about what things they would likely respond to - after all esp having lost your job you had nothing to lose about being upfront.

New employers can ask anything they like from previous salary to performance - whether they get it is another thing. My last overiding ' reference support' supplied was not someone who agreed to me being in telesales previously - but I knew they were one of the few who would likely respond out of the newer employers and either way I'm still in the job! Sometimes it really is better not to over think it.