Applying for a new job- they ask your current employer for a reference BEFORE interview

[AngeloMysterioso]

I’m applying for a new job, and job spec says this-

“Please supply the names and contact details of two referees, one of which must be your current or most recent employer. We intend to take up reference on all shortlisted candidates before interview.”

Is it me or is this a bit shit? It means my current employer knows I want to leave and am looking for a new job before I’ve even been interviewed, and obviously there’s no guarantee I’ll get the one I’m applying for. I really like the sound of the job I’m applying for but this feels so risky. It doesn’t appear that there’s a way to opt out or until after interview/in the event of an offer.

NHS don't do that

I’m NHS , it asks on the application if they can contact referees before interview, you can say no.

But it's also a waste of time to request references for all candidates.

The chances of the successful candidate failing due to references is almost certainly lower than the guaranteed waste of time that is requesting, reviewing and chasing references for all candidates, most of which won't be successful.

I’ve worked frontline in the nhs for over 2 decades. I’ve never been asked for a reference before interview, and obviously safeguarding has to be at a very high standard in nhs.
No reason why education have to do this as “standard practice” if nhs manage.

You could try just giving one referee at the moment who is not your current employer and say employer references will be available after interview. They may reject your application as incomplete but it really depends on how many others they have.
What if you go for the interview and decide they’re a disorganised bunch/don’t take to attitude of the line manager/discover there’s something about the job that’s unworkable for you? An interview is a 2 way process and its just wasted time of managers giving references for someone who may not even want the job!

It’s just the way schools do it. I think it’s because they can then tell you that day whether you have got the job rather than waiting weeks.

But in just about every other industry people are told they're successful 'subject to references'. So you know you've got the job providing nothing untoward, which you would know about anyway, is revealed by your references or DBS check, if relevant.

Can you not give the scouts as a reference? They are recent relevant?

That’s a tricky situation because most employers usually contact references only after interviews for that exact reason. You could explain that your current employer doesn’t know you’re job hunting and offer another referee instead.

I had a similar issue when sorting documentation for my EB2 Expert Opinion Letter, and being upfront about timing helped a lot.

I had this when I applied for a parish council clerk job. I had two supply two references, which took up the referees’ time and meant that my previous employer knew that I was thinking of leaving. I didn’t get the job!

This just popped back into Active.

I know the NHS ask. I know I could say no - which I did, providing two other references that they could contact prior to interview.

They still phoned my then boss to ask him for a verbal reference. He went absolutely ballistic.

Directly ask a colleague who could be a referee

Have never heard of this. I work in a primary school. They ask for reference details but don’t contact them until the offer has been accepted.

It is safeguarding 101 for any education role and part of your training for any interview panel... and do not be surprised if you are also asked for your social media info, too.

I used to line manage people in education and provide references for them. If they didn’t get the job it didn’t make any difference to my feelings about them. People are allowed to move jobs. It’s standard practice in schools.

This is safer recruitment. They have to check there are no issues with you working with children and it's not exclusively for teaching roles, but school staff. They are supposed to check before interviewing you so that information that rules you out is available before they invite you in, or anything potentially concerning can be discussed at interview.

Often, current headteachers know you need a reference before you know you've been invited to interview.

Agreed. You're usually subject to an online search.

I work in a school on the support side and am involved in recruitment. We ask if we can take references up before interview but always respect a ‘no’. I would contact the school to see if there is any flex in it, particularly seeing as you don’t work in education at the moment, so your current employer won’t be as used to this as another school would be.

It's shit. The public sector have been doing this for at least 20 years now. My first job, I had the interview and they called me and said I had been shortlisted with one other candidate and could they take a reference?
I said no, not if they weren't actually offering me the job. They weren't over the moon but 💁‍♀️
I still got the job.

Unfortunately, in an education interview, there is no flex... even Ofsted will check that there is someone on interview panels who has done their Safer Recruitment Training.

I work in a sector with safer recruitment and we absolutely don't take up references until an offer has been made. Requesting them before interview by default isn't justifiable as part of safer recruitment, it's clearly just chosen practice. Definitely contact them and request that they don't request references until an offer is made. Offers are conditional for a reason.

They can see where you have worked so could easily pick up the phone.

You could put names- or job title only and then put - please do not contact without my permission.

They did this with my dh and it chilled me to my bones, my current employer would make life very difficult if I started job hunting and they found out!!

I have just moved teaching job and they insisted due to safeguarding on speaking to my old head before my interview. Apparently they have had their fingers burnt before. Was an awkward conversation mind you.

In what way would it be "hell to pay"? What would your employer do to you, for the crime of deciding you don't want to work for them anymore?

No wonder you want to leave if you fear reprisal and retaliation.

As a potential employer, that would put me off.