After being a SAHM for 3 years, panicking about what the future holds and what will I do with myself and my lack of practical qualifications. To my surprise I have managed to bag an offer of a SEN Teaching assistant apprenticeship. Thrilled! Means I’m learning whilst earning, gaining a qualification that I can fall back on for life, and it fits around school hols!
My problem is after being unemployed for over 4 years references are proving a big problem.
My most recent employer apparently no longer exists on the face of the earth... so I had to replace this reference with one from even longer ago about 7 years in fact! But they agreed and that’s 1 sorted and received.
My second most recent employment was about 6 years ago in a Screwfix store. Now my new employer posted the reference form to the store, when I chased this up with the manager he told me sorry we don’t fill out references in store, they have to be sent to head office to complete, which he said he’d done.
The new employer has rang me today (two weeks after first attempting to collect references) and explained they’ve still not had a response from Screwfix and she’s worried about this holding up my application now.
I have tried to ring Screwfix head office several times with no answer, I have tried 3 different emails but yet to have a response.
I’m starting to panic this is going to hinder my opportunity.
The new employer did say if needs be I can get a character reference from a non-relative but I’m not even sure who would be suitable for that? My partners mother? A family friend? I don’t know and obviously it’s not ideal. I feel it doesn’t look great that my two initial references failed and I’m having to scrape the barrel with a character reference..
I don’t even know if anyone will have any advice for me but thought it was worth a shot! So in short, advice on chasing up my reference from a head office? Or advice on who is suitable for a character reference?
Thanks!