To feel trapped when it comes to providing a recent reference?

[PrueD]

Hi all, some of you may or may not have seen my thread last month after I was let go following a period of compassionate leave:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5277762-just-been-sacked-for-the-first-time-ever-after-a-funeral

The situation now is I’m waiting to hear back after a job interview and in 2 days I’ve finished working my notice at the current job. Meanwhile I keep applying.

Two jobs I’d love to apply for require your most recent employer to be a reference. I really don’t want to do this.

Do I aim to apply for jobs that don’t require this? Because otherwise I run a risk.

The only jobs that won’t want a reference are I guess cash in hand jobs sorry.

You'd be hugely limiting yourself, most places need your previous employer.

They can't give character references, they're not allowed to. All it will be is x was employed here between y-z as an ABC.

HR Director here! Most employers these days will only provide a standard reference that states the dates you worked at the company. For roles (mostly senior) that require more it is slightly different and incumbent on the candidate to provide the names of referees who can be contacted for more in depth information. (At this career stage candidates usually have contacts beyond their current employer or a relationship which allows more open dialogue, eg with a Board chair).

So, depending on the level of job you are applying for, a new prospective employer will just expect a statement noting the dates worked at your current company and this will only be requested once you have a firm offer and are in a position to resign.

My own manager went on maternity leave a month before this happened.

so I guess I should add the guy who actually let me go who was never my manager but one of the directors? Hate having to add his name.

^ this, OP. I provide references frequently and we are only permitted to confirm employment and criminality stuff e.g. safeguarding. In fact, on a lot of referee forms there is no place to add comments.

Just give your previous employer as a reference. They won't want the hassle of messing you about, I don't think.

Also note I haven’t asked them for a reference for obvious reasons.

Do you have an HR department? You can just put them down, even a generic email address if your HR dept has one.

Double check with the prospective employer, but it is unlikely they would follow up your references until you’ve been offered the job anyway. (Often application forms state this?).

I've read your previous thread, and it's clearly been a really shit time for you.

I think probably you need to try and take the emotion out of it though (easier said than done!). You weren't sacked for gross misconduct or anything, you were let go after having been there for a short time, because they felt that you no longer fitted in (subtext: and were no longer able to work like an automaton due to a recent bereavement). Unless it's a tiny company, run by one person who is not aware of usual and legal procedures, you should just put them down as a referee, ideally using a generic company or HR email address. It will look worse if you don't, and they would be very, very foolish if they said anything other than that you worked there from X to X.

I think I’m just paranoid as in my first graduate job an ex employee’s prospective employer called my bully boss for a reference and he actually said he wouldn’t recommend her!

this was 2014 mind you.