my interviewer wants a reference from my current boss by Alison Green on April 1, 2025 A reader writes: I recently interviewed for a new job that I was really excited: it’s exactly what I want to be doing next in my career, at a company I’ve heard good things about, and with a salary range that would be a significant boost from what I earn currently. After the second interview, […] Read the full article →
I can’t recommend the colleague who listed me as a reference by Alison Green on September 10, 2024 A reader writes: One of my coworkers was laid off two weeks ago. She was an easy choice because her work and attitude weren’t great. Her office was next to mine so we’d have friendly conversations every day and I got along with her, but she yelled at her team constantly and wasn’t available to […] Read the full article →
I think my nanny candidate used a fake reference by Alison Green on May 21, 2024 A reader writes: I’m looking for a part-time nanny for my young daughter. I posted on a reputable online job board that connects parents and caregivers, and I received several applications. One of them, a young woman I’ll call Aurora, quickly became my top candidate. She had great experience, special expertise, and her caregiving philosophy […] Read the full article →
after I hired someone, a mutual friend told me I’d made a huge mistake by Alison Green on April 20, 2023 A reader writes: I made a pretty big hiring mistake and I’m not really sure how to proceed. I recently hired a new employee — let’s call him Julian — for a fairly niche role within my company. Julian’s background aligned well with the role, all communication was timely and professional, he gave polished first […] Read the full article →
can I refuse a reference check that’s taking too long? by Alison Green on April 10, 2023 A reader writes: I’m in a role where I regularly manage students, so I get asked to give references frequently. A former intern reached out to me this week asking me to be a reference, and I got a call from HR at their prospective employer (for a very entry-level role). The reference questions were […] Read the full article →
company wants references from “coworkers you didn’t get along with” by Alison Green on October 4, 2022 I’m off today. This was originally published in 2016. A reader writes: I’m currently interviewing for a new position with a company that works remotely. Over the past two weeks, I’ve had 10+ video calls with every member of the small team, along with a bunch of unpaid work tests that have included everything from […] Read the full article →
we hired without checking references … and it went badly by Alison Green on November 3, 2021 A reader writes: We recently interviewed some one who seemed okay but I had reservations. We didn’t have many good options, so we asked for her references. She has 10+ years of work history and we could not get in touch with anybody. When we went back to her asking for help, she provided references […] Read the full article →
should I give a bad reference for a nightmare employee? by Alison Green on August 4, 2021 A reader writes: I used to serve on the board of a small nonprofit, which I left a year ago. During my time on the board, we had to hire a new executive director. The new hire’s references were stellar and he had a great resume, but there were problems even before he had fully […] Read the full article →
my interviewer wants a reference from my current boss by Alison Green on May 4, 2021 A reader writes: I have been at my current job for about six years and have a good relationship with my manager. But for various reasons I have decided that it’s time to move on and have been looking for something new. My manager doesn’t know about my search. Recently, the recruiter for a job […] Read the full article →
a person I asked to be a reference is telling people I’m job hunting by Alison Green on April 6, 2021 A reader writes: I work in higher education in a student support capacity (not a professor). I have been working at the school for seven years total, two years in my current position. I am not unhappy with my current job but there is very little room for further growth as we are a smaller […] Read the full article →