To be FURIOUS if I don’t get this job!

[LaLaLaDiDahLa]

I was offered a job 6 weeks ago. Literally offered it within a hour of the interview. I was stunned and gladly accepted.

It’s a perfect job for me as a returner to work after being a SAHM for 8 years, great hours, mix of office and WFH, great pay and benefits, my would be boss is really nice and I’ll be working in a team of women of a similar age to me so hopefully I’ll fit in. Also opportunity to progress as it’s a huge organisation.

It was only my 2nd interview after starting to look for work and I had another one scheduled that I cancelled and also had interview requests from another 3 jobs that I didn’t take any further.

I was told I’d start in about a month.

Anyway, I got the offer a month! later with a start date of this week. I had to complete the new starter info on an online portal and provide references. This said I had to provide references for the last 3 years and provide character refs for any period of employment.

As I haven’t been employed for 8 years, I provided character refs. The HR hub responded that these alone aren’t enough so I said they could contact my previous two employers and thought I’d better chase them up as well.

Found out my employer of 12 years ago has no record of me as they only have to keep staff information for 6 years if they’ve left and they had a new database installed last year so they didn’t carry over anything over 6 years old.

My employer of 8 years ago is not responding to my requests to see if they’ve still got my records and I kept being told someone will get back to me but they don’t.

I have offered pension statements from both those jobs as proof I worked there but new employer’s HR people have said they won’t accept them as it doesn’t show dates of employment! My would be boss is trying to get them to give me a break but I’m expecting the offer will be withdrawn.

So I’ll have been hanging around waiting to start a job for 6 weeks when potentially I could have been offered one of the other jobs and started it.

It is clear from my CV I haven’t worked for 8 years. I don’t want to be pissed at my would be boss but she must have known the references policy!

What a nightmare. I discovered that the large bank I worked for for 20 years won't give references after you've been gone for three years. I needed a reference just to volunteer as a classroom helper at my DC's school. Have since found that many other volunteer roles expect a reference too. Managed to get the school to accept my old pay sips instead but can't imagine how I'd be able to get a job now after 15 years as a SAHM! Hope you can sort something out.

If they contacted you initially that's promising as they obviously are smart and see you as an asset to their organisation and that you have skills and experience they are looking for; so chances are they'll hopefully be more likely to work with you to resolve it. Is there anyone in a professional sort of role that you've had contact with over the years that could satisfy their needs for a reference? Usually job history is only sought up to 5 years previous even for jobs that require clearance, so it's frustrating they won't accept personal references. Fingers crossed you get it sorted OP.

Contact ACAS and ask for advice.

Can you provide bank statements showing the wage entering your accounts?

I hate when HR get involved in hiring/recruitment. You inevitably end up in some kind of mess or hiring someone whose not the best option just because they fit the weird criteria that HR want.

@MonkeyPuddle

It’s NHS isn’t it? Trac jobs? It’s absolutely arcane.

Yes, I wondered this.

It definitely sounds like it's time to raise the Equality Act with them. How do women who have had time away from work comply if they don't accept character references? The same applies to those who are disabled too.

@LaLaLaDiDahLa

If I send the form tomorrow, probably won’t get it back until January at the earliest.

Try calling them as well and explain why it's urgent. I called them when I needed this for a job offer to explain a 6 month gap and I had the letter within 2 weeks. You have nothing to lose by trying and can only gain.