Difficulties obtaining work references

axelrat

Hi All,

I left work in difficult circumstances 18 months ago.I was being bullied by multiple individuals working in a large financial services organisation.Suffering massive physical and mental health consequences as a result and with the bullying ongoing (raised with management but no action taken), I left without fully serving out my notice period.

I now want to return to work after spending the last 18 months travelling, studying for professional accountancy exams and utilising opportunities presented by Macra na Feirme to personally develop (ie. presenting weekly radio show and writing weekly newspaper artices).
However, I'm having difficulties obtaining references from my previous employer.
They will provide me only with a letter outlining the position I worked in and the dates that I worked with the company.

Can all please advise the difficulties not being able to provide written or verbal character references to future employers will present and any tips on how to overcome these difficulties?
Many thanks.

whippet

axelrat wrote: »

They will provide me only with a letter outlining the position I worked in and the dates that I worked with the company.
.

when I give a reference letter to a former employee that is all the information I give out regardless of who the employee was.

They are facts and can't be disputed, in no way ambitious.

jayobray

Many organisations now will only supply a reference stating the position held, outline of the role and the dates employed. The policy in my organisation is only to provide that, rather than leave themselves open to any kind of action by providing an opinion. Most future employers would be aware of that, and you just have to tell them that that is the policy of the organisation.

Draco

jayobray wrote: »

Many organisations now will only supply a reference stating the position held, outline of the role and the dates employed. The policy in my organisation is only to provide that, rather than leave themselves open to any kind of action by providing an opinion. Most future employers would be aware of that, and you just have to tell them that that is the policy of the organisation.

Yup, I've worked with a few companies that did this and HR departments will be used to it. It's pretty standard practice - essentially there's a fear that the company could be sued over a bad reference. In one place there was even a blanket bad on giving references that didn't come from HR. If you got a call about a former employee of the company, there were just to be given the HR contact details.

So the long and short of it is, don't worry.

coylemj

axelrat wrote: »

They will provide me only with a letter outlining the position I worked in and the dates that I worked with the company.

I used to work for a well-known multinational and that's all they give people when they ask for a reference so it must be perfectly legal. If someone left and needed a reference, it was the practice that they'd ask their former manager for a reference and if the manager was so disposed, he or she would write a letter on plain paper setting out the company's position on the policy of not issuing formal references beyond the basic facts and proceed to give the former employee a 'personal reference'.

conorh91

jayobray wrote: »

Many organisations now will only supply a reference stating the position held, outline of the role and the dates employed. The policy in my organisation is only to provide that, rather than leave themselves open to any kind of action by providing an opinion.

I've experienced this too. It's unprofessional. Commerce relies on trust and co-operation between enterprises in the marketplace.

For some companies to refuse to confirm that "X was an excellent worker" when that was their experience, is destructive to that trust and co-operation. There are no valid legal reasons for refusing to state positive experiences of a worker.

Like i said, I think it's unprofessional and reflects poorly on a company who does not value strong performers. Little wonder their employees move off elsewhere.

YellowFeather

In my current job, they asked of my previous employers' details for references, but told me that all they wanted in writing was confirmation of the dates I had worked as this is the only objective information they could get.

However, they contacted my last employer by phone to get a personal reference. I think this would be common (and possibly best) practice.

Was disgusted though - 'cause I wanted to know all the nice things they said about me.

Anyway, to be helpful, is there an employer from before who you could give details of for the personal reference? You could explain that it is company policy in your last place to only provide the basic reference. It's not really that unusual.

axelrat

Thanks all for the helpful and reassuring response and advice to my query.

gozunda

axelrat wrote: »

Hi All,

I left work in difficult circumstances 18 months ago.I was being bullied by multiple individuals working in a large financial services organisation.Suffering massive physical and mental health consequences as a result and with the bullying ongoing (raised with management but no action taken), I left without fully serving out my notice period.

I now want to return to work after spending the last 18 months travelling, studying for professional accountancy exams and utilising opportunities presented by Macra na Feirme to personally develop (ie. presenting weekly radio show and writing weekly newspaper artices).
However, I'm having difficulties obtaining references from my previous employer.
They will provide me only with a letter outlining the position I worked in and the dates that I worked with the company.

Can all please advise the difficulties not being able to provide written or verbal character references to future employers will present and any tips on how to overcome these difficulties?
Many thanks.

Many employees won't give a 'written' reference to an ex employee. A fact that I believe to be down right parsimonious considering that employers will demand references for any incoming employees. A clear case of double standards imo.

What a prospective employer will do is contact the ex employer directly either by phone or provide a form and ask the ex employer to fill it out.

Unfortunately It is very easy for an ex employer to undertake a professional assassination thereby making sure their ex employee doesn't have a hells chance.

I would advise putting down a member of staff with whom you have had a good working relationship for the purposes of reference including their direct line number - make sure you pass this with them first so they don't get a surprise when a reference is called for.

If you believe that an ex employer is likely to be less than complimentary and if you have someone you know in business and can trust then you could get them to ring for a reference on your behalf. As long as they are not passing themselves off as someone else - it's a good way of finding out what an ex employer is saying about you.

Best of luck - your experience with your previous employers is all too depressingly common. Fair play for advancing yourself after that. I would also suggest using your Macra connection for a reference in preference to the company that clearly could not be trusted to provide a good reference.

coylemj

gozunda wrote: »

Many employees won't give a 'written' reference to an ex employee. A fact that I believe to be down right parsimonious considering that employers will demand references for any incoming employees.

A lot of people are recruited by being poached in which case the previous employer won't be asked for any kind of reference. If you're being recruited by a competitor company for example, they will have done their research on you and will know as much if not more about you as your current employer so the issue of a reference simply will not arise.

gozunda wrote: »

I would also suggest using your Macra connection for a reference in preference to the company that clearly could not be trusted to provide a good reference.

Are you serious? :eek:

davo10

gozunda wrote: »

I would advise putting down a member of staff with whom you have had a good working relationship for the purposes of reference including their direct line number - make sure you pass this with them first so they don't get a surprise when a reference is called for.

You are joking aren't you? The point of a reference is to see what you are like as an employee from your previous employer, not what kind of a best bud you are from your best bud. As an employer, if someone gave me the run around like this, the first question I would ask is, "why didn't you put your employer/manager down as a referee?", the second would be " what am I supposed to do with a reference provided my a colleague who is neither your manager nor your employer?"

gozunda

coylemj wrote: »

A lot of people are recruited by being poached in which case the previous employer won't be asked for any kind of reference. If you're being recruited by a competitor company for example, they will have done their research on you and will know as much if not more about you as your current employer so the issue of a reference simply will not arise.

And the remaining 99% of the working population who may be seeking jobs but are not in a position to be 'poached'?

coylemj wrote: »

Are you serious? :eek:

The OP clearly stated that ...

I now want to return to work after spending the last 18 months travelling, studying for professional accountancy exams and utilising opportunities presented by Macra na Feirme to personally develop (ie. presenting weekly radio show and writing weekly newspaper artices).
However, I'm having difficulties obtaining references from my previous employer.

So yes MNF would be a good opportunity to use a referee in the absence of ethical behaviour from the OPs ex employers

gozunda

davo10 wrote: »

You are joking aren't you? The point of a reference is to see what you are like as an employee from your previous employer, not what kind of a best bud you are from your best bud. As an employer, if someone gave me the run around like this, the first question I would ask is, "why didn't you put your employer/manager down as a referee?", the second would be " what am I supposed to do with a reference provided my a colleague who is neither your manager nor your employer?"

Again In the absence of ethical bevaviour from an ex employer as outlined by the OP - an individual looking to move on with their career will therefore be obliged to seek a reference on a needs must basis.

If that means that you approach another member of staff such as a manager and ask if they will provide a professional reference and they agree - fair play to them.

They would be asking the individual for a reference from a professional relationship basis not as you crudely put it a 'best bud' :rolleyes:

As to answer your hypothetical questions I will provide some hypothetical answers that would apply to the OPs situation...

Q. why didn't you put your employer/manager down as a referee?",

A. "My ex employer refuses as part of their company policy to provide any references for employees seeking to advance their career. Whilst I accept this as their decision I have provided the name of a manager to whom my reputation as a good worker and my integrity as an employee is well known and who is available and willing to provide an accurate and truthful reference. "

Q. what am I supposed to do with a reference provided my a colleague who is neither your manager nor your employer?"

A. "I have provided the name of a manager within the company to whom my reputation as a good worker and my integrity as an employee is well known and who is available and willing to provide an accurate and truthful reference. I can also supply a number of other references that are available to verify both my character and career todate."