How can I word this better?

[CherryRedismyFaveColour]

I am trying to get a reference off a company I used to work for overseas. I called up the office and was blocked by the reception and told to send my request via a generic email to HR.

I am just wondering if there is anyway I can word this better than sending a vague email to a general email address where I say Dear HR, please can I have a letter saying I worked there. I don't even know the HR person's proper title due to well trained and cautious receptionist.

FYI, I need the company to confirm I used to work there between X and y dates as this job title. It is overseas though and they are under no obligation to give it to me. This reference would really help me out as I am trying to get a job in my old line of work.

Any ideas? I was also thinking of sending them an email asking for the right title and address or should I just go straight in with the fact that I used to work there and please can you confirm dates to me in a letter?

FYI, I haven't started applying for jobs yet but I think I would like to have this as a bearer reference as I know from experience that the culture of my old company has no sense of urgency so I'd rather have it to hand when I apply for jobs.

I work for a large organisation in the UK. We have a nationwide HR service like this. They are pretty good at providing this type of reference.

Just send an email through the correct channel, asking politely to confirm your dates of employment and your role. It’s s fairjy normal and straightforward request. Include your staff number, team, manager etc if you can remember them.

Don't bother. Any potential new employer would prefer to contact your old employer themselves anyway. The only circumstances in which having a pre-written bearer reference might be useful is if there is a particular manager who would/could write you a glowing reference but is disappearing and will not be available to be contacted if their details are given as a referee.

To HR.

Would it be possible to confirm the following details about my previous employment by yourself.

Name.
Addresss.
Job title.
Ref from payslip...
Employment dates.
Address of employment.
Person you reported to.
Give brief details about your job.
Reason you left....

I hope the above information helps you to confirm my previous employment, and look forward to receiving a reference from yourself in the near future.

I don't think I'd waste time (yet) trying to chase up name of who to address to.

Isn't the normal thing for you to apply for a job with the company's details, and then your prospective employer contacts old employer directly to get a reference? Just have to refer to them as Human resources I suspect.

HI Bike

Thanks for this. I am trying to get back to work after being a SAHM. I have some really brilliant experience and I keep seeing jobs and contracts that I feel I could do standing on my head but I don't have up to date references. I just think it would help if I can get some dates confirmed. I can also contact my old boss who has retired from there but feel I would like a copy of the dates to add to my already slim pile of references.

Another Q. I have the details of my old boss from the same company who now runs his own consultancy. He was a really, really nice man. I haven't worked for him for 10 years. Is it going to look silly if I contact him and ask if he would give a reference if asked by a company? Hopefully he would remember me. He was the Global Head of HR and very professional so I don't think he'd mind.

No new employer who would otherwise offer you a job is going to change their mind because you haven't already got a written bit of paper to present them with, stating the same dates of employment you've presumably already put on your CV/application.

No it won't look silly if you contact your old boss. Having him available as a referee for potential employers to be able to contact is far more valuable than a bit of paper confirming dates on your CV.