How to force a former employer to reply to a letter?

Marcon

elsien said:

Little point doing a SAR when the OP already knows what the reference says. The issue seems to be with the interpretation.

They may not have seen the whole reference.

robatwork

I used to write references on occasion. 

BAD: Charles Chomondley was employed at VectorVictor from 01/06/2007 to 05/08/2013

GOOD: Charles Chomondley was employed at VectorVictor from 01/06/2007 to 05/08/2013 and I would have no hesitation in employing him again


REALLY BAD would be putting in anything about sick time, performance or attitude. Even an ambivalent comment would without doubt be something negative. 

Lomast

robatwork said:

I used to write references on occasion. 

BAD: Charles Chomondley was employed at VectorVictor from 01/06/2007 to 05/08/2013

GOOD: Charles Chomondley was employed at VectorVictor from 01/06/2007 to 05/08/2013 and I would have no hesitation in employing him again


REALLY BAD would be putting in anything about sick time, performance or attitude. Even an ambivalent comment would without doubt be something negative. 

I don't agree with your first one necessarily being bad, it's all a lot of employers give these days, our references at work give start date, end date and job title, regardless off if they were a total moron or our best worker

MattMattMattUK

robatwork said:

I used to write references on occasion. 

BAD: Charles Chomondley was employed at VectorVictor from 01/06/2007 to 05/08/2013

GOOD: Charles Chomondley was employed at VectorVictor from 01/06/2007 to 05/08/2013 and I would have no hesitation in employing him again


REALLY BAD would be putting in anything about sick time, performance or attitude. Even an ambivalent comment would without doubt be something negative. 

I have not seen a reference that did anything other than confirm employment dates and job title for more than a decade. I would be suspicious of anything else now.

elsien

Really does depend on your line of work. My company still want full references. 

Uriziel

Have you tried to explain this to your new employer and clarify that the reference is very vague because they are trying to stay out of legal trouble and maybe let them know that perhaps the previous employer was not the most appropriate? I really don't think there is anything you can do.

Jude57

Uriziel said:

Have you tried to explain this to your new employer and clarify that the reference is very vague because they are trying to stay out of legal trouble and maybe let them know that perhaps the previous employer was not the most appropriate? I really don't think there is anything you can do.

I can't imagine any employer being impressed by a potential new member of staff criticising their former employer. What would the OP gain from following your suggestion, other than to reassure the potential new employer that they were right to withdraw their offer?

Uriziel

Jude57 said:

Uriziel said:

Have you tried to explain this to your new employer and clarify that the reference is very vague because they are trying to stay out of legal trouble and maybe let them know that perhaps the previous employer was not the most appropriate? I really don't think there is anything you can do.

I can't imagine any employer being impressed by a potential new member of staff criticising their former employer. What would the OP gain from following your suggestion, other than to reassure the potential new employer that they were right to withdraw their offer?

You are assuming and generalizing. Fact is that the world is filled with sickening people who are put in charge. Everyone has had vile bosses in their life and now that millennials are taking up leadership roles they are absolutely not afraid of calling things out for what they are which you would not know if the number in your username is your age. I have had interviews previously where I told interviewers about what I am seeing at my job and we laughed together. We were both millennials and I was progressed to the next interview stage with no problem.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the OP explaining himself. In this day and age every single thing is about politics. If he can convince the new employer that the previous employer are not the kind of people that they would like to be friends with they will be happy to take him.

elsien

Nothing special about millennials, gen z,  boomers whatever label gets stuck on you. 

Friendship and employment are two completely different things - whether a new employer thinks they would be friends with the old one doesn’t come into the equation with regards to hiring decisions (Outside of it’s not what you know it’s who you know brigade)

Jude57

Uriziel said:

Jude57 said:

Uriziel said:

Have you tried to explain this to your new employer and clarify that the reference is very vague because they are trying to stay out of legal trouble and maybe let them know that perhaps the previous employer was not the most appropriate? I really don't think there is anything you can do.

I can't imagine any employer being impressed by a potential new member of staff criticising their former employer. What would the OP gain from following your suggestion, other than to reassure the potential new employer that they were right to withdraw their offer?

You are assuming and generalizing. Fact is that the world is filled with sickening people who are put in charge. Everyone has had vile bosses in their life and now that millennials are taking up leadership roles they are absolutely not afraid of calling things out for what they are which you would not know if the number in your username is your age. I have had interviews previously where I told interviewers about what I am seeing at my job and we laughed together. We were both millennials and I was progressed to the next interview stage with no problem.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the OP explaining himself. In this day and age every single thing is about politics. If he can convince the new employer that the previous employer are not the kind of people that they would like to be friends with they will be happy to take him.

The number in my username is neither my age nor my date of birth. It's amusing that you accuse me of making assumptions yet have the temerity to go on to tell me what I 'wouldn't know'. If you knew anything about me, you'd know that, as well as having managed and trained staff at all levels in the public, private and third sectors, I have spent my entire working life 'calling out' bad management, processes and policies, and have achieved real, tangible change in those organisations. But that would require you to consider that others here have real life experience of how organisations operate, not how they should be but how they are, and to advise based on that experience.