when a positive reference suddenly turns negative by Alison Green on September 14, 2012 A reader writes: My sister was recently chosen for a permanent position that had come available within a large organization where she had previously worked as a temp. They performed over three weeks of scrupulous recruitment procedures, wherein she passed a background check with flying colors. She was asked for a list of her references, […] Read the full article →
when a job application asks if your current employer can be contacted by Alison Green on June 26, 2012 A reader writes: I just completed an application that asked twice if they may contact my present employer. I said “yes,” of course, because I know “no” would read poorly. Now I’m in a position where I can only guess if they’ll call, and if they do, what I should say to my boss to […] Read the full article →
how long should a reference check take? by Alison Green on June 23, 2012 A reader writes: I’ve been in the process of applying and interviewing for a particular job for a few weeks now. Everything has gone smoothly enough, and except for one short delay after my second interview, they’ve met all the timelines they’ve given me about when they expected to get to the next step along […] Read the full article →
you don’t get to choose your references by Alison Green on June 22, 2012 I frequently hear from people who say that they don’t care if they leave a job on bad terms because they’re not planning to use that boss as a reference anyway. To which I say … Pfffff! As Suzanne Lucas of Evil HR Lady points out at CBS News today, you don’t get to choose […] Read the full article →
do I have to give this former coworker a recommendation? by Alison Green on June 1, 2012 A reader writes: Someone I used to manage recently sent me a request for an endorsement on LinkedIn. Only, I’m not sure if I should give him one. I worked with him about two years ago at a very small company: I was a brand new manager, and this was his first proper job. Overall, […] Read the full article →
when your references are deliberately lukewarm as a “strategy” by Alison Green on May 28, 2012 Sadly, my vacation is over. Why is the transition back into normal life so onerous? In any case… A reader writes: What do you do if your references don’t know how to give references? I recently provided my references for a job that I really want. This company has a very rigorous hiring process, so […] Read the full article →
why won’t my old job that almost fired me give me a reference? by Alison Green on March 29, 2012 A reader writes: I’m a recent college graduate who’s looking for my first job. I’ve had steady employment since I was 18 and I have two summer internships under my belt. I also have good interview skills, but what worries me the most are my references. At my most recent job, I worked part-time at […] Read the full article →
what to do about a bad job reference by Alison Green on March 5, 2012 Many job-seekers mistakenly believe that employers aren’t allowed to give a negative reference or to do more than confirm dates of employment. But in fact, it’s perfectly legal for an employer to give a detailed negative reference as long as it’s factually accurate. And while it’s true that some companies have policies that they will […] Read the full article →
giving a dishonest good reference to get rid of an employee by Alison Green on March 4, 2012 A reader writes: The director of my department refuses to fire or discipline poor performers and troublemakers because she hates having to go through the process of hiring someone new. One of these bad employees (does everything possible to avoid doing her job, makes false complaints about her coworkers) is currently looking for a new […] Read the full article →
when your references aren’t responsive by Alison Green on February 26, 2012 A reader writes: I’ve had 2 jobs in the last 3 years after graduating, both with very small companies of fewer than 10 people and no formal HR dept. I’ve emailed and left messages for coworkers and manager from my last position to ask if I could list them as a reference, and I haven’t […] Read the full article →