Running a background check yourself

Lurker1

Hi

I am currently applying for jobs and I'm unsure whether my previous employer will give me a good reference. I wanted to ask if anyone has ever done a background check on themselves, if so, then what company did you use?

Undervalued

Lurker1 wrote: »

Hi

I am currently applying for jobs and I'm unsure whether my previous employer will give me a good reference. I wanted to ask if anyone has ever done a background check on themselves, if so, then what company did you use?

I don't see how that will answer your question. Until the previous employer has actually been asked for a reference nobody can know for certain what they will say.

Keep in mind that apart from in a few regulated occupations an employer is not obliged to provide a reference. Sometimes a refusal can be just as damming as a "bad" reference.

If you have a friend who runs a business (or can convincingly pretend that they do) you could ask them to seek a reference and see what comes back.

It also depends on the field of work. In some areas it is now very common only to supply a bare bones reference with little more than dates of employment. Also some firms have a policy on not providing "bad" references due to a completely excessive fear of being sued. Legally they can say what they like, good or bad, providing it is true and doesn't seek to deliberately mislead.

[Deleted User]

Good thought but probably not worth it.

One of the things, I learnt this year was never to tell a prospective employer if that you feel you may not receive a reference. It's up to them to deal with.

My last job interview which turned out to close to home, I get now why they were so insistent to to see me - it is turned out my interviewer managed one of the places where I'd worked and was deep friends with them - I just grinned throughout and pretty glad I could show high spirits and rise above it for my own positivity. What I don't know can't hurt.

Someone could have the most glowing reference in the world, but that doesn't stop the employer from later feeling 'you weren't the person they interviewed'. (As much as part of me would say that cuts both ways)

Appreciate you are meant to ask each and every time for a reference anyway but that's easier said then done.