Professional references

[outthedoor1]

I've been asked by prospective employer to provide contact details for professional referees to comment on my work at previous job.

I thought it was common policy, as a protective measure, for companies not to provide anything beyond tick box. Is it worth even requesting that someone from my previous job provide this?

Yes they will ask for references from HR, it is a tick box exercise

It is just a tick box thing.

They have asked for contact details for 2 specific referees who they can chat with/email beyond the tick box HR references.

Some people will tell you that no employers do this any more. They are wrong. For some it is a tick box. Others require more and won't accept the tick box approach. My employer is a huge employer, but they insist upon, and provide more detailed references from everyone. What an employer wants or provides is up to them. Your prospective employer wants more than a tick box so you need to give them details of how to get that. Commonly a line manager and/ or someone else who knows your work and can comment on performance. Although they are commenting on your work, they can make it clear that they are commenting on a professional basis and not on behalf of the employer if they wish to make a distinction.

@Jalisco - I've contacted one manager and the company policy is for employees not to provide professional references in their personal capacity.

Still waiting to hear from the other company.

I may be stuffed if I can't get the required two.

That certainly is rubbish, and I'm not sure what to suggest. You might have a conversation with HR and explain the problem, see if they can find a way to do this. As I said, where I work writing such a reference would be the norm - in fact it is line managers who would normally write employers references anyway, not HR; and anyone else writing one would state it was in a personal professional capacity, not as the line manager.

@Jalisco - I'll see what prospective employer's position is because I've been clear in stating the requirement to the old company.

I work in a field where this is the norm.

We would not be comfortable with someone giving a reference under our company brand when they have been asked not to. They can give a private personal reference but they have no permission to give a work-based one. It's in their contract. We have given references that go beyond dates and time but we will not provide performance review details, which we have been asked for previously.