Personal reference

[Lushmetender]

I’m not enjoying my current job and feel like it’s not going well for various reasons. I was offered 2 new jobs in quick succession.
One I turned down and the other retracted due to not giving an answer by the employers deadline. Truth is the jobs didn’t feel right for me. I’ve applied for a role I’d really like to do but need to give a personal reference. The issue I have is that because I’m in a corporate organisation- all refs have to go via HR and they are v generic. Do you really need to give a person’s reference at the get go? I’ve not even had an initial interview but I know my CV will be attractive to them.

Well they said they wanted a personal reference, so it has nothing to do with HR does it? A personal reference suggests a friend or neighbour, an unusual requirement but that is how I would interpret “personal reference”.

I would also interpret personal reference as someone you know outside of work. In a different capacity to employment, and will comment on your character.

A personal reference is usually someone who has known you for a good period of time, isn't your employer or a really close personal friend and often someone of 'good standing', e.g. vicar, policeman/woman, etc. I needed one a few years ago to vouch for a period of self employment when I had no specific employer to refer to. A senior manager of a company you've worked for but wasn't your direct manager can be useful.

Personal reference - usually by someone who has some social professional standing, so something to lose from lying and can vouch for you as who you say you are. It's a weird thing to ask - I expect it's like an identity check, can't imagine they'd rely on a friend's view of your character.

I was asked for a person reference last week. I gave an ex colleague who knows me well.