When you are applying to a new job, and they ask for professional references from supervisors, how do you approach this? I have been working for the same manager for the majority of my career so I dont have any past supervisors to list. Have you had new employers that wanted to contact your current mgr? How do you handle the “professional references” section. I’m early in the process - past phone but havent had in person interview.
Come on somebody? Choices - 1. Refuse to list names until later in the process 2. List names but get commitment from target employer that they will not call until they get permission 3. Tell current boss he may be getting a call (yeah right) 4. Give them all fringe references (my buddies at work) 5. Other?
Try to get a coworker that you trust to vouch for you.
No have no director/MD level references? Should I list ones they can contact and ones they cannot?
Don’t give any references from your current employer. No company should require that from you. It would be very unusual and put you in a very compromising position. References are rarely a make or break factor in hiring decisions I think. In this case, you have little experience outside of your current employer so your prospective employer will likely put little weight on what references if any you can reasonably provide. Don’t worry about it. If you don’t get the job, this won’t be the reason. And if you don’t get the job, you REALLY don’t want other people in your office knowing that you tried to leave the company and failed.
Carson Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Don’t give any references from your current > employer. No company should require that from you. > It would be very unusual and put you in a very > compromising position. > > References are rarely a make or break factor in > hiring decisions I think. In this case, you have > little experience outside of your current employer > so your prospective employer will likely put > little weight on what references if any you can > reasonably provide. > > Don’t worry about it. If you don’t get the job, > this won’t be the reason. And if you don’t get the > job, you REALLY don’t want other people in your > office knowing that you tried to leave the company > and failed. Good point at the end.
I’m currently in a similar situation. They want 5 professional references from me (which I find a bit much, I thought 3 was the norm) and they want it at the beginning of the interview process. They also want 3 supervisor references (I’ve only worked for 3 people: one is my current manager which I obviously won’t put on the list and another manager was a bitter man that despises me for changing companies and furthering my career). I’m down to only 1 manager.
former trader Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m currently in a similar situation. They want 5 > professional references from me (which I find a > bit much, I thought 3 was the norm) and they want > it at the beginning of the interview process. > They also want 3 supervisor references (I’ve only > worked for 3 people: one is my current manager > which I obviously won’t put on the list and > another manager was a bitter man that despises me > for changing companies and furthering my career). > I’m down to only 1 manager. Same here. Four references with two from supervisors and I havent even interviewed yet. Im thinking about listing them, but putting in bold underlined “DO NOT CONTACT WITHOUT CANDIDATES PERMISSION” and put “PHONE NUMBER WILL BE GIVEN BY CANDIDATE ONCE PERMISSION IS GIVEN” I figure since my resume is all one company, and all the references are from that company, they will get the point that they cant call my boss and ask him if its ok to hire me. Good idea?
No. I would never give out references at the beginning of the process. Tell them you will be more than happy to provide later in the process. This sounds like a recruiting agency ploy. You can’t possibly be expected to provide references so early on. Imagine if you are interviewing with 14 different firms and the references were contacted every single time.
DoubleDip Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > No. I would never give out references at the > beginning of the process. Tell them you will be > more than happy to provide later in the process. > This sounds like a recruiting agency ploy. You > can’t possibly be expected to provide references > so early on. Imagine if you are interviewing with > 14 different firms and the references were > contacted every single time. Nope. Directly with firm. They aren’t “asking” they are asking me to fill out their application and sign the background check form and references is part of the form. Not sure how to proceed. I dont want to stir the pot but I certainly am not going to allow them to check references so early.
1morelevel Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Come on somebody? I don’t think that will help.
dude if its part of standard application just say they may not contact anyone, or just dont list references. often checking references happens after the hiring decision, where a formal offer is contingent on satisfactory background and reference check. so you can give references later if they really need references for the hiring decision, the hiring manager will ask you in an email or directly, not HR on a form. then you gotta come up with something, perhaps trustworthy/former coworkers and/or clients
gamblingeconomist Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > 1morelevel Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Come on somebody? > > I don’t think that will help. Thanks for your insightful contribution.
Provide references. Just say, “Of course, I prefer you do not contact my current employer. You can save the best for last.” Then smile.
samnyc Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Provide references. Just say, “Of course, I prefer > you do not contact my current employer. You can > save the best for last.” Then smile. Then wink and look at my crotch?
Try to make a colleague vouch for you. Then you might take a broader view and try to get a colleague who is also a supervisor (although not yours) point being that he could describe you with a supervisor’s terminology and viewpoint. If you feel the lack of references makes your application form weak, maybe it is better to go for another job opening or decide you’ll stick with your job for another year while you also network extensively so you won’t have that problem in the future (it is a problem btw).
If it’s a form then there’s no problem. Simply say something like ‘I will be happy to provide references at an appropriate point in the future’. Or leave it blank. Both are better than filling in that box. I don’t put any referees on my CV. If they want them down the line, they can ask.
Carson, if you want to crush your odds of success, go ahead and write something dikkish on an application that ten people are going to read.
I think I’m going to put names, and in the phone number area write “contact information for references will be provided at a later date”
That’s rude and may knock you out of the running. Just put in the complete contact info and smile, woink, look at your crotch, whatever.