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Getting reference for last 5 years of work

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  • 02-01-2017 7:04pm
    #1
    take everything
    Registered Users Posts: 9,806 ✭✭✭


    Hi
    I have worked 5 years in a job moving from one department to another at 6 monthly intervals and I am now moving on.

    I talked to someone in HR about a reference for the 5 yrs and they said that it would have to be from my final 6 mth placement.

    Of course I did not get on at all well with my boss in the last placement (having to avail of sick leave in the end because of our relationship) so I can't imagine that I'd get any sort of decent reference from her.
    And I don't want one from her.

    Am I entitled to a reference that relates to the last 5 years. This would be far more representative of my time in the job.

    Any advice would be great.


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    #2
    infogiver
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,505 ✭✭✭infogiver


    Not only are you not "entitled" to a reference relating to your 5 years with the same employer, there is no legal obligation on your employer to give you any reference whatsoever.


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    #3
    pauliebdub
    Registered Users Posts: 1,064 ✭✭✭pauliebdub


    Is there a previous manager or senior colleague that you got on well with who can offer you a personal reference? Many companies have a policy of not giving references, just offering a reference statement which offers basic information.


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    #4
    take everything
    Registered Users Posts: 9,806 ✭✭✭take everything


    pauliebdub wrote: »
    Is there a previous manager or senior colleague that you got on well with who can offer you a personal reference? Many companies have a policy of not giving references, just offering a reference statement which offers basic information.

    There are a couple of supervisors that I got on well with in the past. But it was a while back.
    One of them (who was full of praise for me even suggesting I come and work for him at some point a couple of years ago) is now the head honcho but he seems to be distancing himself after I suggested the possibility of a reference to his secretary. He also turned down a meeting with me before I left.
    So I dunno what to do.


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    #5
    take everything
    Registered Users Posts: 9,806 ✭✭✭take everything


    infogiver wrote: »
    Not only are you not "entitled" to a reference relating to your 5 years with the same employer, there is no legal obligation on your employer to give you any reference whatsoever.

    Fair enough.
    But how does one go from one job to another so.
    Is it also increasingly common that new employers don't look for references so (given that previous employers aren't expected to give them).


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    #6
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,339 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    Just ask HR to provide a basic reference stating your overall period of employment. If you have a good relationship with a manager that you had in one of your placement in the company then you could ask them, you don't need to get one from the most recent.

    Many companies won't now provide anything else than that because of the risk of defamation. My employer also uses exit interviews by employees to evaluate their managers and as such block manager references to ensure they get a true picture.


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    #7
    infogiver
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,505 ✭✭✭infogiver


    take everything wrote: »
    Fair enough.
    But how does one go from one job to another so.
    Is it also increasingly common that new employers don't look for references so (given that previous employers aren't expected to give them).

    The problem is that a former employee can make a complaint about a former employer if said employer gives them an unfavourable reference.
    References are a minefield for employers unless you were very satisfied with that employee and can quite honestly recommend them in glowing terms, then your as well off saying nothing.
    My daughter is just embarking on the world of work and I wil be advising her that if she feels that her work life is not going well that she needs to move on as fast as possible and cut her losses
    Here you are 5 years later with no reference.


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    #8
    weldoninhio
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,311 ✭✭✭✭weldoninhio


    take everything wrote: »
    Hi
    I have worked 5 years in a job moving from one department to another at 6 monthly intervals and I am now moving on.

    I talked to someone in HR about a reference for the 5 yrs and they said that it would have to be from my final 6 mth placement.

    Of course I did not get on at all well with my boss in the last placement (having to avail of sick leave in the end because of our relationship) so I can't imagine that I'd get any sort of decent reference from her.
    And I don't want one from her.

    Am I entitled to a reference that relates to the last 5 years. This would be far more representative of my time in the job.

    Any advice would be great.

    I switched jobs 2 years ago after working for a big Irish bank for the previous 8 years. My reference literally said weldoninhio worked here from a to b.


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    #9
    Lux23
    Registered Users Posts: 7,134 ✭✭✭Lux23


    I always use character references as in people I worked directly for. I received a written reference and it wasn't worth the paper it was written on.


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