Advice on Job Application and Past Employer

[WatieKatie]

Can I have some advice please?

I’m in a senior role and have been with my current employer for almost 5 years. They are a great company to work for, however my new(ish) manager is hopeless and misogynistic and I have reached the ‘glass ceiling’ of where I can go with this company. Positions at my level are few and far between but do come up from time to time. I’m not desperate to leave but I am looking forward to a new challenge.

Recently I have been approached by a recruiter who I know well for an interesting new role with a small company who I don’t know of. The owner is apparently friendly with a previous manager who I worked for a number of years ago elsewhere. He was furious when I resigned and has told at least one person who I know in the industry that I was sacked. This is absolutely is not true, I have a reference from them and also proof that I resigned after being offered a new role.

My concern is that if this recruiter puts forward my CV for this role, the interviewer will reach out to my old boss ‘off the record’ as they know one another and he will alert my current employer that I’m interviewing. He knows a lot of people (it’s a small industry) and isn’t a nice person.

Any thoughts?

No reason why you can't speak direct to the prospective employer to have an informal conversation about the role before applying.

Is it possible to have a chat with the recruiter about this? It’s in their interest to successfully place you with the prospective employer and help you navigate this.
Perhaps someone here can advise whether the employers’ off the record conversation is breaching GDPR.
The recruiter could pre-empt this by reminding their client of their obligation to maintain confidentiality, especially in a niche industry.
If you have concrete evidence of his sacking comments I’d be tempted to get legal advice on stopping him damaging your reputation and reminding him your reference states otherwise. Wishing you the best.