Giving current employer as reference - ok or not?

ash2008

Hi

I want to change careers. I currently have a steady job, but its an area that I really dont want to work in anymore. I am a good worker, and I know I would get an excellent reference from my current employer. Plus, I currently live abroad, so if I can use a reference from a well known employer within the same city, then I think it will be much more valuable to any potential employer than a reference from unknown (to them anyway) Irish employers. Also, the time difference may just make it more of a hassle to them.

The problem is that I want to stay in my current job until I actually have another job to go to. I know people leave jobs to move to new jobs all the time - but I have no idea what they do about references. Is it usual to give a current employer as a reference or is this a big no-no??
If you do give a current employer as a reference, I assume its polite to inform them - but then what if you didnt get the job? Would this make things very awkward?
Also, I have been in my current company for a while now, so if I dont use them as a reference, I would be going back years...which again, seems like it wouldnt make a valuable reference.

Sorry if this seems like a dumb questions. Previously I have always been unemployed when job hunting, so I dont know the etiquette on this. Thanks for any advice:)

Stheno

I would usually offer two references from previous employers, do you have these?

ash2008

Stheno wrote: »

I would usually offer two references from previous employers, do you have these?

Outside of my current employer, yes I do have two previous employers that I could use. However, they would be from jobs that I held 8 years ago and 5 years ago...so Im worried theyre a bit too old to use now.

LeftBlank

Put "References available on request" on your CV.

If you get a job offer, then you can approach your current employer, informing them of the new position and then seeking a reference.

Reference checking is usually only done after job offer stage.

Do not put your current employers (or any previous employers) contact details on your CV.

r3nu4l

LeftBlank is right, I don't have any regencies on my CV. I just put 'references available on request' on my CV. Some jobs require one of your references to be your current or last employer so it's not unusual for the references space to say that references will be provided later.

Emeraldy Pebbles

Hi, I have a quandary sort of related to the OP's, so didn't want to start a whole new thread. I'm applying for a job I'm really interested in. It involves providing both an CV and an application form with mandatory fields. I must supply a reference from my current employer. It gives you the option of whether to contact you before contacting the current reference. Would checking "Do not contact without my permission" look bad? And I can't put down a reference from my current job without getting permission from the desired referee, can I? Gah, how do I navigate this? Thanks!

amtc

It's fine - just put references available on request. Remember as well it may well not be your line manager. For my last job, the reference from that current job was my first line manager

Emeraldy Pebbles

amtc wrote: »

It's fine - just put references available on request. Remember as well it may well not be your line manager. For my last job, the reference from that current job was my first line manager

Like I said, on the online application form, I can't leave certain fields blank. :-/

My current post is a research assistant position. It's a one year post with potential for renewal depending on funding so have only had the one boss. I'm not sure if I could include a post doc from my lab as a referee. Wouldn't they wonder why it wasn't my boss?

phoenix999

Emeraldy Pebbles wrote: »

Like I said, on the online application form, I can't leave certain fields blank. :-/

My current post is a research assistant position. It's a one year post with potential for renewal depending on funding so have only had the one boss. I'm not sure if I could include a post doc from my lab as a referee. Wouldn't they wonder why it wasn't my boss?

I've often given senior colleagues as referees. If the post doc knows your work etc. And besides, the Dr before their name looks impressive.

Emeraldy Pebbles

phoenix999 wrote: »

I've often given senior colleagues as referees. If the post doc knows your work etc. And besides, the Dr before their name looks impressive.

True! Well, she'd definitely be very familiar with my work, as I've assisted her a fair bit, and she knows of my lab housekeeping and stuff.

Hitchens

If you're still in the current job then a ref from your employer won't mean much as lot's of employers will give a good ref to a bad employee to get rid of them, and prospective recruiters know this.

Posy

I have only had one full time job since leaving college so any forms that ask for two or three references throws me off a lot!
Can all three references be from my current job?

Emeraldy Pebbles

Posy wrote: »

I have only had one full time job since leaving college so any forms that ask for two or three references throws me off a lot!
Can all three references be from my current job?

Definitely! It's your current job but one you've held for a while (maybe?) so the referees will have lots of info to provide. No bad thing being in a job for a good while, means you don't seem flaky!