rr_ww

Quick IMPORTANT question.

How important is it to have a reference from a previous employer nowadays. Example being if someone left the previous on bad terms (good reason too!) and told a prospective employer why there would be no reference. Would it REALLY affect your chance of getting that job.

Or would a good interviewer take more hints from the fact you were being open and honest about the reasons? Or is it a definite NO-NO!

Thanks for reading

ADP

I "think" its illegal for an employer to give a false reference.

So if you left on bad terms but did the job well etc I dont think you should have a problem. However if you had a nightmare time you might be best trying to use another referee.

camk

Employers will only offer details of job,date of start/finish and length of service. Data Privacy laws prevent any 'performance' related dialog. Any other dialog is legally very risky on an official basis.

Cammy

rr_ww

I never said it was me.

You're right a company cannot give a bad written reference. Most companies (well the arsehole ones) will give a dodgy verbal one though. Its too hard to prove, and even if you can will your next employer want to see "took previous to industrial tribunal for bad reference"

The company concerned are just as likely to make up some Bull though about the person not doing their job properly. Hence your word "Nightmare" is no far off

Anybody else got any pointers. Particularly if you are a pro-interviewer or no someone who is.

Cheers!

Dracoro

So what's the point of the reference apart form confirming that you did actually work for said company?

personal references are b*ll*cks too. Who in this whole planet would put forward someone who'd give them a bad reference?

rr_ww

Dracoro

Thats really my question. If a previous employer was a complete ****er. And as a result you dont want to risk him getting involved in your next reference.

Would the lack of a personal reference from the previous employer set alarm bells ringing. Or as your post suggests is it not really THAT bad. And a new employer would just see how you got on with the job. (Assuming that checkable history is not a requirement of the new job)