Reference help!

Sararau · 2023-09-04T13:27:30+00:00

Hi, I have recently received a job offer with a local authority. On the application form they required two references, with the option of a character reference which I included. However since getting the offer, they now want references for my last 5 years of employment. I’m a recent graduate with mainly customer service experience and have provided as much details for references as I can, however only one of my 3 employers have responded to the reference request despite me contacting them and one of them has merged with a different company so the email addresses I had for HR are no longer in use and I have no contact with anyone who currently works there. I have offered to provide references for my time at university that would cover the same 5 year span however they will not accept this. I really don’t know how to proceed as it’s very much out of my hands at this point - has anyone got any advice or similar experiences? thanks

Original poster

Sararau · 04/09/2023 15:24

Anyone?

OP posts:

Moopyhereagain · 04/09/2023 15:28

That does seem unnecessarily difficult. I don’t understand why they won’t take uni reference - I would be tempted to get one if you haven’t already so that you can put that in front of them. Have you spoken to the HR dept for the new role directly? Have they misunderstood that you aren’t really showing any gaps in employment? Was the ref that they took up not great? Not really any direct advice, it sounds a pain

stormytwilightnight · 04/09/2023 15:36

Public sector HR can be very pedantic with references. Do you have contact details for your new line manager, as they could possibly override HR if they are happy with what you have provided.

Original poster

Sararau · 04/09/2023 16:11

Moopyhereagain · 04/09/2023 15:28

That does seem unnecessarily difficult. I don’t understand why they won’t take uni reference - I would be tempted to get one if you haven’t already so that you can put that in front of them. Have you spoken to the HR dept for the new role directly? Have they misunderstood that you aren’t really showing any gaps in employment? Was the ref that they took up not great? Not really any direct advice, it sounds a pain

Hi, thanks for your advice! I have been communicating with someone from the HR department directly, and explained to him the time period my uni references would cover and he has said that as part of their enhanced vetting procedure they need references from the last 5 years of my employment. From my knowledge the reference they received was a good one (my manager called me up to tell me what he had written), however I’m not sure if it’s just the procedure of their local authority. I’m really worried they will withdraw the job offer due to this which is upsetting as it’s a dream role for me.

OP posts:

Original poster

Sararau · 04/09/2023 16:12

stormytwilightnight · 04/09/2023 15:36

Public sector HR can be very pedantic with references. Do you have contact details for your new line manager, as they could possibly override HR if they are happy with what you have provided.

Hello,

That is a great suggestion, thank you! I’ll give that a go and hopefully they will accept what I can provide.

OP posts:

Ascendant15 · 04/09/2023 16:21

If this is enhanced vetting it has nothing to do with local authorities and everything to do with the vetting. Full histories for at least five years, sometimes more, are required by employers who perform enhanced vetting. Manager will have no authority to override HR on such matters.

Original poster

Sararau · 04/09/2023 16:47

Ascendant15 · 04/09/2023 16:21

If this is enhanced vetting it has nothing to do with local authorities and everything to do with the vetting. Full histories for at least five years, sometimes more, are required by employers who perform enhanced vetting. Manager will have no authority to override HR on such matters.

Hi, this is what I suspected! I couldn’t really find any information on enhanced vetting online, but what happens if employers don’t respond to reference requests? Will the offer be withdrawn? I understand the need for references that cover the last 5 years but find it slightly unreasonable not to accept a university reference that makes up 4/5 years of this time studying full time while the job I had at the same time was a part time role in a shop

OP posts:

OvertiredandConfused · 04/09/2023 16:59

I work in the healthcare setting and we have to be able to provide proof of employment and reasons for any gaps. This isn’t always through references but it is through formal documentation. Could you see if that would work?

Original poster

Sararau · 04/09/2023 17:19

OvertiredandConfused · 04/09/2023 16:59

I work in the healthcare setting and we have to be able to provide proof of employment and reasons for any gaps. This isn’t always through references but it is through formal documentation. Could you see if that would work?

Thanks for your input @OvertiredandConfused. What kind of formal documentation were you allowed to supply as a substitute?

OP posts:

Aaron95 · 04/09/2023 17:25

Sararau · 04/09/2023 17:19

Thanks for your input @OvertiredandConfused. What kind of formal documentation were you allowed to supply as a substitute?

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Payslips will be provide proof of employment.

OvertiredandConfused · 04/09/2023 17:25

Proof of employment. Payslips are the easiest. If you’ve kept them, copy of a P60 or P45 might work.

Ascendant15 · 04/09/2023 19:06

Sararau · 04/09/2023 16:47

Hi, this is what I suspected! I couldn’t really find any information on enhanced vetting online, but what happens if employers don’t respond to reference requests? Will the offer be withdrawn? I understand the need for references that cover the last 5 years but find it slightly unreasonable not to accept a university reference that makes up 4/5 years of this time studying full time while the job I had at the same time was a part time role in a shop

Show quote history

I think there is some confusion here for people. I am assuming that you are using the correct language, and this is a vetted post. If this is a post that requires vetting there are not clear systematic rules, which is why you can't find information. Vetting is organised based on specific circumstances- it differs depending on the circumstances, post, demands....

Ascendant15 · 04/09/2023 19:11

Oops, sorry - posted too soon

Some of your answers are based on DBS checks, which is something different than vetting.

But in either case, it is possible that a failure to obtain references from an employer could be problematic. You may be able to prove employment, but you couldn't prove that you weren't dismissed, for example.

Greenwitchhorse · 04/09/2023 19:40

Some confusions in the responses:

DBS checks: have nothing to do with employment records, it is a check to see if you have a criminal record or not

references: previous employer(s) and/or character or academic (if the person is a new graduate)

It is daft to have a blanket policy of providing 5 years worth of work references.

Some people could have been stay at home parents, carers for a sick/disabled family member, students, taken time off to relocate or travel so of course they won't be able to provide that. It would actually be discriminatory in some cases to refuse some this evidence.

I would query this again with HR and tell them that you were a student during some of that time and can only provide character references from tutors to cover the period when you were studying.

I doubt you are the only potential employee to have been in that situation...

Original poster

Sararau · 04/09/2023 21:14

Ascendant15 · 04/09/2023 19:11

Oops, sorry - posted too soon

Some of your answers are based on DBS checks, which is something different than vetting.

But in either case, it is possible that a failure to obtain references from an employer could be problematic. You may be able to prove employment, but you couldn't prove that you weren't dismissed, for example.

Apologies for any confusion, it is a vetted post and I have no problems regarding DBS

OP posts:

Original poster

Sararau · 04/09/2023 21:16

Greenwitchhorse · 04/09/2023 19:40

Some confusions in the responses:

DBS checks: have nothing to do with employment records, it is a check to see if you have a criminal record or not

references: previous employer(s) and/or character or academic (if the person is a new graduate)

It is daft to have a blanket policy of providing 5 years worth of work references.

Some people could have been stay at home parents, carers for a sick/disabled family member, students, taken time off to relocate or travel so of course they won't be able to provide that. It would actually be discriminatory in some cases to refuse some this evidence.

I would query this again with HR and tell them that you were a student during some of that time and can only provide character references from tutors to cover the period when you were studying.

I doubt you are the only potential employee to have been in that situation...

These were my thoughts exactly. I think their problem is that during the times I have studied full time I also had part time jobs, so for that reason (I’m assuming) they won’t accept an academic reference as I was in employment at the same time

OP posts:

Vaanyawonderments · 04/09/2023 21:44

What i would do here is provide name of my previous managers but number and email of the reference department in hr or just hr contact details. I have recently been through civil service vetting and they mentioned they would not necessarily contact references rather they will gather info on tax periods from hmrc . If they are unable to do so, they would contact employers . May I ask what department have you applied for ?

Original poster

Sararau · 05/09/2023 11:37

Vaanyawonderments · 04/09/2023 21:44

What i would do here is provide name of my previous managers but number and email of the reference department in hr or just hr contact details. I have recently been through civil service vetting and they mentioned they would not necessarily contact references rather they will gather info on tax periods from hmrc . If they are unable to do so, they would contact employers . May I ask what department have you applied for ?

Thank you. One of my previous roles was for a small company who has no HR department. I contacted my previous manager a week ago who said she’d complete the reference asap however she has yet to do it. How can I gently ask her to complete again while being respectful of her time? The request is for a form to be completed but she could also just reply with a basic reference confirming my employment dates, however I’m unsure of how to ask her again (or if this would be inappropriate)

OP posts:

Vaanyawonderments · 05/09/2023 11:47

Hi, just msg her saying you’re just following up if she’s received the email or the form for reference. She might come back to you saying yes she has and that she will complete it soon. Thats what I would have done if I was in your shoes.