And yet everyone still asks for them.
I work in school and they are given great weight for safeguarding, to confirm employment history, although the content with regard to ability to do the role is less important.
My head takes great care in writing them and is very good at writing a truthful but glowing reference for everyone, she will always find something good to say.
A colleague has recently applied for a job, not in school, elsewhere. Head wrote the reference (which I haven't seen but don't doubt was good) but colleague has been told her application won't proceed becuse of unsatisfactory references. She is fuming.
I am certain the only negative thing in the reference will be her sickness absence record, which is high, but she insists that can't possibly be the reason, head doesn't want her to leave.
Now, when she's in she does a decent enough job, but can be hard work to manage with these kinds of outbursts. Her absence record is an issue. Head wouldn't take action to "get rid" but certainly wouldn't be devastated if she left.
Prospective employer won't tell her exactly what the issue was. Head has shown her what was sent, colleague insists head must by lying and actually sent something else.
All this fuss over something that's pointless anyway.