HR question - references

[Goldendeliciousness]

I have been successful for a public sector role. They need five years worth of references. First reference will be very positive, I have worked there for 4.5 Years. Second reference could be negative, I worked hard, was never late but found the role difficult (it was a hard time in my life) and I did not get along with my manager.

Is it likely the local authority will withdraw the job offer if the second reference has some negative elements?

I don't know if it's an urban myth but I thought that negative references weren't 'allowed' so they would just give a simple date reference??

@MumofSpud

I don't know if it's an urban myth but I thought that negative references weren't 'allowed' so they would just give a simple date reference??

And this is why you post employment related questions in the Employment Issues or Work section of the forum.

It’s not just an urban legend, it’s completely untrue. A reference can say anything which can be proven.

Your more recent reference should be enough, OP.

I didn't realise there was a dedicated forum sorry!
The local government are insisting they have this other reference, if it is slightly negative would the first one being so positive be enough to stop them withdrawing? How bad does a reference need to be in order for them to withdraw?

References tend to be factual information only covering the dates, job title etc. It would only be an off the record convo that would reveal anything more and ex-employers are unlikely to do that for fear of being sued!

I think you'll be fine 👍🏼

@Sassanacs

References tend to be factual information only covering the dates, job title etc. It would only be an off the record convo that would reveal anything more and ex-employers are unlikely to do that for fear of being sued!

I think you'll be fine 👍🏼

I deal with references all the time - they aren’t usually tombstone only at all.

????

I’ve posted about this before but last year I had a job offer withdrawn after an ex-boss gave me a shit reference in which she totally downplayed my capabilities, so it does happen.

I really don’t mean to scare you but I was totally blindsided (we’d actually always got on really well) and never thought it would happen in a million years. I had two good references but the bad one made the hiring manager nervous.

Could you speak to the second referee beforehand? Or is there anyone else you could ask?

@TitsOot4Xmas it depends where you work obviously but generally larger companies with process driven HR depts give factual only

My company has a policy of stating basic facts in references like “Cormoran Strike worked for our business from 2007 to 2021” and that’s about it.

As a manager I can offer to give a personal character reference, but am under no obligation to do so.

[quote Sassanacs]@TitsOot4Xmas it depends where you work obviously but generally larger companies with process driven HR depts give factual only[/quote]
Fairly sure the NHS is the biggest employer in the U.K. and they definitely don’t accept tombstone reference!

@TitsOot4Xmas ok, I'm talking in my experience. Many of the larger employers that I have worked for. Third sector is different.

There's a lot riding on NHS refs so makes sense they won't accept simple factual only refs.