Reference advice

Unwell2023

Hi,

Wonder if I can get some help again.

My new employer is sending contract and understandably would like to take up references.

They've asked for 1x Character (no problem there) and 1x current/most recent employer which is where I'm sort of debating. 

With my current organisation I'll only have been with them three weeks as a temporary when I come to leave and would what they say have much merit? Also they may be annoyed I'm leaving and this puts them back up the creak again. On the other hand it is a shame, as it shows signposting and a position I took to really well and fast, which is going to help toward being a Care Navigator so it feels the most related. It also helped me deal with difficult calls and whilst I personally may have been unhappy at the employment setup I fully appreciate the experience but also get it is a short time and wasn't a factor when I had interview with the medical centre.

I have a longer duration employer but I would have sickness on my record with them (which new employer is aware of) but its a completely unrelated industry who I think do a tombstone reference type strictly from HR.  

Would you offer both employers details in this instance? Thanks for any help.

DullGreyGuy

If they've asked for just your most recent then you only need give the most recent. You could offer a second one if you wanted but most will stick to their processes.

References are normally very limited these days, there is simply no incentive for the company providing the reference to risk any claim for libel etc. It's normally limited to start date, end date, job title and method of leaving (resignation, end of contract, redundancy etc) though the requesting company may ask for more things. 

Undervalued

DullGreyGuy said:

If they've asked for just your most recent then you only need give the most recent. You could offer a second one if you wanted but most will stick to their processes.

References are normally very limited these days, there is simply no incentive for the company providing the reference to risk any claim for libel etc. It's normally limited to start date, end date, job title and method of leaving (resignation, end of contract, redundancy etc) though the requesting company may ask for more things. 

That is a bit sweeping! I'd perhaps agree with "often" (rather than normally) but in some fields of work detailed references are still the norm.

Except in a few regulated occupations the current employer cannot be forced to provide a reference. I agree that if the prospective employer asks for the current / most recent then the OP has little alternative but to agree.

General_Grant

Unwell2023 said:

Hi,

Wonder if I can get some help again.

My new employer is sending contract and understandably would like to take up references.

They've asked for 1x Character (no problem there) and 1x current/most recent employer which is where I'm sort of debating. 

With my current organisation I'll only have been with them three weeks as a temporary when I come to leave and would what they say have much merit? Also they may be annoyed I'm leaving and this puts them back up the creak again. On the other hand it is a shame, as it shows signposting and a position I took to really well and fast, which is going to help toward being a Care Navigator so it feels the most related. It also helped me deal with difficult calls and whilst I personally may have been unhappy at the employment setup I fully appreciate the experience but also get it is a short time and wasn't a factor when I had interview with the medical centre.

I have a longer duration employer but I would have sickness on my record with them (which new employer is aware of) but its a completely unrelated industry who I think do a tombstone reference type strictly from HR.  

Would you offer both employers details in this instance? Thanks for any help.

They have asked for your current/most recent which, in your case, is one and the same organisation.  So give your prospective new employer what they have asked for - the contact details for your current, albeit short-term, employer.

Presumably you filled in an application form or provided a CV showing your current employer as well as the other which you thought of giving as a referee.  However, if you were interviewed after completing the form/CV submission and they are not aware of your current employer, then you need to check which they would like.

You write of being "a temporary" with your current organisation.  Is that employment directly with them or via an agency?  

How much notice do you have to give your current employer?  Just a reminder that you would need to give one week's notice once you have worked there one month (and you've worked there 3 weeks already) - unless your written particulars of employment stipulate a longer notice period.  You would be well advised not to resign until references have been received by the new organisation and accepted as satisfactory.

Unwell2023

You write of being "a temporary" with your current organisation.  Is that employment directly with them or via an agency?  

Direct with the employer (charity organisation) unfortunately. Weirdly they wouldn't ever give a firm end date just advertised/spoke about the role duration in weeks linked to my other post. It hasn't been the easiest of places and at one point I did grow concerned it could turn into a bit of a girl friday and then would expect me to start running their clubs which I cannot physically do due to my own conditions which me be very candid with the medical form. Got told role was lasting just so many weeks and now they say it was an open ongoing contract...  I kind of now do understand why employers like temps to be working through agencies and why the question gets asked more often then not. 

I've already given notice and it's been agreed 1 week is needed which I'm committed to which will give me 3 weeks working for the charity. 

I was doing agency work at the start of October before the charity which got me rated highly with their client so if things go wrong I'll just pop back to then as much as I really hope this is the end of job seeking for a very long time. It also deeply sounds like classroom/formal training is coming at the medical centre and so reference checking will take place well before I start. 

I put my CV in for the medical centre months ago when I was still with the longer duration job if this makes any sense and interviewed end of September just before I started with the agency so I could never have foreseen working for the charity at that point and was just another interviewee for the charity at that time. I guess I'm going to declare the charity as it can be a small world and it feels like the right thing to do with nothing to hide. If they feel they cannot give me a reference then I've more then one character and other employer reference who I know do complete. 

General_Grant

Unwell2023 said:

You write of being "a temporary" with your current organisation.  Is that employment directly with them or via an agency?  

Direct with the employer (charity organisation) unfortunately. Weirdly they wouldn't ever give a firm end date just advertised/spoke about the role duration in weeks linked to my other post. It hasn't been the easiest of places and at one point I did grow concerned it could turn into a bit of a girl friday and then would expect me to start running their clubs which I cannot physically do due to my own conditions which me be very candid with the medical form. Got told role was lasting just so many weeks and now they say it was an open ongoing contract...  I kind of now do understand why employers like temps to be working through agencies and why the question gets asked more often then not. 

I've already given notice and it's been agreed 1 week is needed which I'm committed to which will give me 3 weeks working for the charity. 

I was doing agency work at the start of October before the charity which got me rated highly with their client so if things go wrong I'll just pop back to then as much as I really hope this is the end of job seeking for a very long time. It also deeply sounds like classroom/formal training is coming at the medical centre and so reference checking will take place well before I start. 

I put my CV in for the medical centre months ago when I was still with the longer duration job if this makes any sense and interviewed end of September just before I started with the agency so I could never have foreseen working for the charity at that point and was just another interviewee for the charity at that time. I guess I'm going to declare the charity as it can be a small world and it feels like the right thing to do with nothing to hide. If they feel they cannot give me a reference then I've more then one character and other employer reference who I know do complete. 

I haven't read your other threads (at least not so as to connect them when reading this one).

As the medical centre were not aware of your changes in employment, they would be expecting you to provide details of that previous employer.  So certainly contact the medical centre people and ask them which organisation they would like to contact.  

If you simply gave the contact details for the previous employer (the one they know about), it would show your leaving date and you would then be asked what you had been doing since.  So letting them know of the change of employment is something you should do.

PS:  And best wishes for your new job.

Marcon

Unwell2023 said:

Hi,

Wonder if I can get some help again.

My new employer is sending contract and understandably would like to take up references.

They've asked for 1x Character (no problem there) and 1x current/most recent employer which is where I'm sort of debating. 

With my current organisation I'll only have been with them three weeks as a temporary when I come to leave and would what they say have much merit? Also they may be annoyed I'm leaving and this puts them back up the creak again. On the other hand it is a shame, as it shows signposting and a position I took to really well and fast, which is going to help toward being a Care Navigator so it feels the most related. It also helped me deal with difficult calls and whilst I personally may have been unhappy at the employment setup I fully appreciate the experience but also get it is a short time and wasn't a factor when I had interview with the medical centre.

I have a longer duration employer but I would have sickness on my record with them (which new employer is aware of) but its a completely unrelated industry who I think do a tombstone reference type strictly from HR.  

Would you offer both employers details in this instance? Thanks for any help.

Yes, with an explanation of why.