To worry my boss will sabotage my job offer?

[StaceyS4516]

Tried googling to see if this does happen and Reddit tells me it does, so I'm worried (though hoping it's far more likely in America)

Long story short, I have an awful boss. I've got several years positive track record prior to them joining. They've only been here a short while and have made my life hell. Whenever it's been raised it's just come back at me harder. Never experienced it before in my life.

I've been offered a new role and am elated. But also terrified as witnessing how underhand they can be while coming across as a gem to the wider organisation, I'm so so worried they'll try to sabotage things either with a bad reference or some other scheming tactics.

Is there anything I can do here? I know technically people don't do bad references but I'm dealing with a very bitter person. Can I request they contact HR or a previous boss? Has anyone else experienced something similar before and can advise?

Can I request they contact HR or a previous boss?

Whenever I've applied for a job, it's been up to me who I put down as references on the application (and my work is very clear that only the personnel dept can give an employer's reference, and they'll say nothing other than a standard set of specific facts).

So I'd say you were fine to put your personnel/HR dept down as referee.

I had this happen. It was awful at the time but thankfully I discovered the job I moved to didn't rate my old boss (small world, people knew each other). It is crap for you but it will be OK. Ans perhaps ask your old line manager or HR if they will write a reference.