Can you name everywhere you have worked since leaving education and the exact dates? Job application asking for this.

[Lovemusic82]

I applied for a part time job, nothing exciting, minimum wage. I am a carer for disabled child/adult but wanted a job to fit around her. I got through the interview process but the amount of information and references they need seems a bit OTT. They asked for all my work places, dates I started, date I left and the reason why. I trained to work in an industry where it’s common not to stay in one place long so I have had quite a few jobs in the past 25 years plus a gap to have dc and care for dd. They are now trying to contact the very first place I worked 25 years ago to conform I worked for them…the place is a pub and has changed hands many times in the past 25 years, they can’t find my details. I have given 2 places I have worked for references as well as a personal reference but apparently that’s not good enough. Is this normal practice? The jobs 12 hours a week.

Im wondering if it’s just me that has disorganised brain but should I be able to remember everywhere I have worked, when I started and left?

Yes I could. Been working since 1984.

Under GDPR rules an employer from 25 years ago SHOULDN’T have any records of you anyway.

I can give month and year of everywhere I’ve worked and did so when I returned to employment after 15 years as a SAHM. Every place I ever worked had ceased to exist by then but I was still in touch with one old boss (retired) who gave a personal reference. He wasn’t able to give dates as I’d only worked for him for the last couple of years of my 7 year time at the company.

And I work in education! I had gaps where I’d been made redundant and was looking for a new job. I had a period where I was temping through a now non existent agency. Three of my previous employers ceased existing and my roles ended in redundancy and the last one went under about a year after I left to have my first child. During the 80s and early 90s firms were going belly up all the time so loads of people wouldn’t be able to prove their employment. There are no records of my employment and I have no pay or tax records as there is no requirement to keep them for that long.

I just gave my dates on the form, gave two personal references, provided my school certificates, had the enhanced DBS check and that was it. Yes they have to be careful in the education sector but they don’t need EXACT dates or references from so long ago.

I’m currently having this issue they want employment history and academic history from 2011 that’s 25years. There have been moments where I have been unemployed and they want a character references. Both are in healthcare. This is driving me insane as I have provided the information but they still want more. I never had to do this before.

I'm an older employee in education. I have this happen a lot and it is very tedious. I also have had so, so many jobs (30+ easily - can't count), including overseas and many overlapping PT jobs some not in ed. Some no longer exist, and at least a couple of my former employers are deceased. I list on my CV by year but not month. If I have to do month I just give it my best estimate. I'm about to go for a promotion that asks for my education and FULL employment history - in not more than 500 words!!!

I had one interview more than a decade ago (education of course) where they quizzed me in a way suggesting there was some particular job I hadn't disclosed. I had no clue what they were on about but figured they must have googled me. So I did the same and found a job I had totally forgotten about because I left after 3 months (really ghastly place). So always wise to check your online footprint. I still got the job though.

You can ask HMRC for a proof of earnings form and they can send out what you need.

Although potential employers asking anything more than the last 10 or so years is really unnecessary and irrelevant imo.

I could but I've only had 4 jobs tbf.

That’s bonkers. An establishment like a pub with a high turnover of staff could argue GDPR reasons. That storing employer details from 25 years ago is storing private information unnecessarily

also isn’t something like 30 pubs are closing every week so there could be reasonable likelihood that the pub had closed down.

An unrealistic expectation

Absolutely. I’m over 50 & could very easily tell you. The longest I’ve stayed at one job is 5 years.

I could remember the months and dates of every job I’ve had since I was 16 and I’m 67 now. Until I had a big clear out last year, I still had every payslip, P60, and bank statement going back to when I started work at 16. I can understand a prospective employer wanting to know your complete employment history but it seems over the top to be going back 25 years for references.

Yes. Month and year going back to 1992.
Academic roles.

What this new position is asking for is ridiculous, OP.

No, definitely not. I’ve worked at some places up to 3 times intermittently too - just to add to the confusion - Oh and different countries.

Yes because I have kept all previous copies of CV and job applications so can use them to double check older details.

Yes because I'm good at remembering dates and also have the paper work/ salary slips still to check. But also because I have only had three professional work places and before that a handful of more casual jobs. Doesn't help you though!

I could give month and year for everywhere I have worked, but not exact dates. Many of the places I've worked no longer exist, so no employer could get information from them.

What they are asking for is way over the top. No employer I've worked for or with has wanted more than 5 years history. Having said that, my wife got a part time cleaning job last year and they wanted to see her school certificates from 50 years ago.

I cannot remember exact dates. If on online forms specify an actual date in the month - I choose a Monday on the calendar of that month and year for a start date and a Friday for the last day at the place.

Had 7 months in 2008 where I did temp work, which I probably worked 70% of that time. I cannot remember where I worked for how long. I remember it was in a business park.

I had a couple of jobs - both temping where I walked out of with 2-3 hours of working as the work was crap. One was sticking cardboard onto cardboard and putting in a free sample in the pouch. The other was selling plastic tat in offices in Leeds.

Yes. I’ve had the same job with the same employer for 26 years.

Then in terms of employers. Two temp agencies have gone and two perm employers have gone. One went into liquidation and the other was bought by a larger firm and there is no trace of the employer name anywhere

"Please refer to attached CV"

I can give exact dates because I'm in Germany and we get precise, written references. And as pp I update ny CV as soon as something changes

One is for a private healthcare they want employment and academic history from 2011 and another job within a care home as a care assistant wants all the job roles that you have had that has been in care or education. I worked as home care assistant and I have emailed and phoned them and they said they are unable to provide a reference as it was over 11years. I'm currently searching for another job. As their is nothing I can do about this

I would only put anything relevant to the role.
I’m a nurse so wouldn’t put down my summer job in a beach cafe aged 18 or my stint in a theatre twenty years ago.

I couldn’t give exact dates or details for the unqualified roles that I had.

They have got my employment history from HMRC and it goes back to 2015. As this is a care assistant role and CQC wants all the roles you had that has been in care or education which I get. But I'm unable to get a reference as one of the care roles was over 11years ago and the company is unable to provide a reference. I'm currently looking for another job. All I've been doing is stressing and chasing and contacting references over these past weeks. Normally my references comes back within 2 weeks this is coming up to 4 weeks now. 😞

My last job didnt file things properly and 3 years and 1 promotion in wanted my to go through all references and education again. I contracted for a LONG time sometimes directly and sometimes through an agency and cannot remember.

They spent about 6 months chasing me for my BA certificate which I couldn't find, but they had my Masters certificate - and the job didn't need a degree anyway.

Current job, spent weeks and weeks asking me for contacts at jobs from years ago and I just told them to call HR and then they wanted me to provide the phone number or email and I directed them to Google, which is what I was going to do anyway.

Both in professional services and there is client data etc involved so I do get it, but there must be an easier way.

If it's a role in a regulated industry like care, the regulator may insist on this. CQC does. Needs employers to need a full working history including reasons for any gaps in employment.

I could but what they are asking is crazy.

most employers document retention policies would have destroyed that kind of information long ago.