Bad Ref?

LegacyUser

Hi there, I am just back from travelling and I am looking for work. I had an interview with an excellent company a few weeks ago but haven't heard anything since. The role was along the same lines as the last job I did here before I left but on a higher scale. I didn't think too much of not hearing back from them as I've heard of a lot of people on the work and jobs forum here saying that they don't hear back from interviews either.

That was until today when I found out from an old colleague that the company rang looking for a reference from my old boss. Now I'm afraid that my old boss gave me a bad ref or told them that I might not be able for the new role. It's making me feel bad and I wonder if I should give a different refs name in future? At the interview I told them that I had left the last job to go travelling so if this was what worried them, they probably wouldn't have bothered ringing up for a ref...Should I ring up the new company and ask what went wrong/feedback?

I *could* be completely wrong here and I think the people over in the Work & Jobs forum might be able to give you better advice, but as far as I'm aware, a company cannot actually give you a bad reference - they can only refuse to give one.

Honestly though, I would just look at it as simply nothing more than just not being lucky this time. A few weeks might be too much time that has passed before asking for feedback. In future, maybe consider asking when you find out you don't get it.

nialo

They cant refuse to give a ref either, they just have to confirm you worked for them. but i doubt it has anything to do with your old job. just the luck off the draw. maybe they found someone more skilled. take heart that you got the interview and keep looking. alot off ppl dont even get to that stage..

Ickle Magoo

Moved from PI

Think this is the best place to get advice on this OP.

All the best.

Nody

Deleted User wrote: »

I *could* be completely wrong here and I think the people over in the Work & Jobs forum might be able to give you better advice, but as far as I'm aware, a company cannot actually give you a bad reference - they can only refuse to give one.

You'd be wrong I'm afraid. A company can give you a bad ref as long as they can back it up. For example if you came in drunk to work and this is documented in a HR hearing and in the employees file they can mention that you came in drunk once to work for example. They can't say that you also happened to pee on the carpet if they can't back up this part of the claim.

What usually happens would be something like this though:

Prospective employee: "Would you hire this employee again if given the oppertunity?"
Reference: 10s of silence "Yes"

Now you can't claim they have given you a bad reference they can be held to but the prospective employee gets told that this is not a person you want to give a reference for.

coffee_cake

I think the usual advice is to get a friend to ring up the old boss pretending to look for a reference and find out that way

speedboatchase

This happened to me after I was let go from a sales job. I had plenty of interviews in the next few weeks but never heard anything back from final interviews. In the end I got onto a recruitment agency and the person there pretended to be from a prospective employer looking for a reference - my old employer didn't answer back despite five emails and six phone calls.

In the end I just wrote down on my CV that I had been travelling and thankfully no-one at my next job asked any questions.

Mrs OBumble

Yes, you should ring up the company and ask for feedback - it will do no harm, and may give you some useful info.


And you should only put down referees who you know will give you a good reference.

Laneyh

feeling down wrote: »

Hi there, I am just back from travelling and I am looking for work. I had an interview with an excellent company a few weeks ago but haven't heard anything since. The role was along the same lines as the last job I did here before I left but on a higher scale. I didn't think too much of not hearing back from them as I've heard of a lot of people on the work and jobs forum here saying that they don't hear back from interviews either.

That was until today when I found out from an old colleague that the company rang looking for a reference from my old boss. Now I'm afraid that my old boss gave me a bad ref or told them that I might not be able for the new role. It's making me feel bad and I wonder if I should give a different refs name in future? At the interview I told them that I had left the last job to go travelling so if this was what worried them, they probably wouldn't have bothered ringing up for a ref...Should I ring up the new company and ask what went wrong/feedback?

You could always get a friend to ring up the old company asking for a reference and see what is said.

Then you'd have a good idea as to whether that particular referee is damaging to you

Laneyh

JustMary wrote: »

Yes, you should ring up the company and ask for feedback - it will do no harm, and may give you some useful info.


And you should only put down referees who you know will give you a good reference.

I started a thread about this ..sorry if I shouldn't have. My last employer wont give me a bad reference but is unlikely to give a glowing one either
Is it ok to bypass them and use 2 different referees ?

orchidsrpretty

Laneyh wrote: »

JustMary wrote: »

Yes, you should ring up the company and ask for feedback - it will do no harm, and may give you some useful info.


And you should only put down referees who you know will give you a good reference.

I started a thread about this ..sorry if I shouldn't have. My last employer wont give me a bad reference but is unlikely to give a glowing one either
Is it ok to bypass them and use 2 different referees ?

Yeah, you can use any past employers although they may wonder why you dont use your last employer.

TheDoc

References thing always causes some confusion.

You can of course receive a bad reference, but it is not specific. The reason for which is due to defamation and libel. An employer typically won't run the risk of such by going into details about why they feel you were a poor employee, as it can be subject to opinion and in a court of law can be seen as defamation of character and libel without extensive records of your poor performance/attitude.

A typical bad reference, is an employer confirming you did work at the establishment between specified dates, and upon being asked, declining to provide a detailed reference. This is typically how most employers will deal with providing a bad reference.

For a good reference, a previous employer will normally go into details.

Its a crock of **** imo, and something that has long since required a change, but as most people, especially Irish people, don't take critique well, it wont change.

bbam

TheDoc wrote: »

References thing always causes some confusion.

You can of course receive a bad reference, but it is not specific. The reason for which is due to defamation and libel. An employer typically won't run the risk of such by going into details about why they feel you were a poor employee, as it can be subject to opinion and in a court of law can be seen as defamation of character and libel without extensive records of your poor performance/attitude.

A typical bad reference, is an employer confirming you did work at the establishment between specified dates, and upon being asked, declining to provide a detailed reference. This is typically how most employers will deal with providing a bad reference.

For a good reference, a previous employer will normally go into details.

Its a crock of **** imo, and something that has long since required a change, but as most people, especially Irish people, don't take critique well, it wont change.

But its not always a matter of opinion...
I've stated facts that could be backed up when asked, for example that an employee had x% absence relative to a peer average of y%, or that an employee has had issues with lates, once they're documented in an employees file and in some cases warnings given, then its not opinion, its fact..
I have to say I cant stand this notion that negative information can't be given in a reference, if its documented fact then its OK...