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Asked to be someone's referee

  • 11-08-2010 1:21pm
    #1
    Toe Twister
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭


    Hey, I may be getting a phone call soon to provide a reference for an ex-colleague. I work in a fairly senior technical job but it's just that - technical, and I've little interest in management/HR type stuff.

    What kind of questions am I likely to be asked by the prospective employer?

    Any advice would be appreciated!


Comments

  • #2
    Eoin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,263 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Are you allowed give a reference, or is it an unofficial one? You might want to check out what you're getting yourself into from a legal point of view.

    They might ask what duties the person carried out, to see if they've been exaggerating on their CV - and the usual "would you hire / want to work with this person again"


  • #3
    Toe Twister
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭Toe Twister


    eoin wrote: »
    Are you allowed give a reference, or is it an unofficial one?

    Hadn't thought of that!

    It'll be over the phone, nothing in writing, so presumably I should be safe enough. Still worth checking out though...


  • #4
    Eoin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,263 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Well - the main question is if you'll give a good reference. If you don't, then you'd really want to be able to back it up - and that's why many companies only give pretty basic references (start & end date, job title etc).

    Personally I'd be slow enough to give a reference if it's against HR policy.


  • #5
    Toe Twister
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14 ✭Toe Twister


    eoin wrote: »
    Well - the main question is if you'll give a good reference. If you don't, then you'd really want to be able to back it up - and that's why many companies only give pretty basic references (start & end date, job title etc).

    It'll be a good reference alright, I wouldn't have agreed to it otherwise.


  • #6
    Eoin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,263 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Well, I'd get a copy of the CV in advance and maybe some details on the new role, so you're both saying the same things.


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  • #7
    Welease
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,834 ✭✭✭Welease


    If asked for a reference, I always stick to facts, not my opinion. It helps if those you have the data to back up those facts.

    It's less of an issue when the reference is good.. but I would wary of voicing my opinion of whether they would be good in the new job etc..

    If you had some concerns i.e. lots of sick days.. then state how many days over what period of time, and leave the other company to make the determination if thats good or bad..


  • #8
    murphym7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,036 ✭✭✭murphym7


    Firstly ex-colleague doesn't need to mean friend. As long as your ex-colleague isn't asking you to say you were his/her boss then you are giving a reference as an ex-colleague. Its a strange one to ask an ex-colleague to be a reference - Staffing in HR and hiring managers generally prefer to speak to a previous boss - the questions are normally geared towards speaking to a previous boss.

    Your reference cant really go beyond team based questions and maybe attitude to work, whereas a boss can speak to time keeping & attendance, attitude, quality of work, whether they can take iniative or not - real examples to back up specific quesitons.

    In the short of it there is no issue with being a reference for this ex-colleague but they should consider using previous managers instead.


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