Work references (1 Viewer)

[RSJ]

Just emailed my old work to ask for a reference to use for applying to college in UK and getting jobs. Got this back in an email:

RSJ,

Hope all is going well for you and I wish you success with your course
application and your endeavours to get work in the UK. The policy at
***** in relation to references is to confirm start and finish dates
per attached. If further information is required then the company can
call your ex Manager directly.

Wishing you the best of luck and continued success.

XXXX.

The attatched "reference" just says "RSJ worked at **** from day x to day x as an electronic technician. If you have further questions, ring me on 555-666-666, regards, some dude".

Is there anything i can do here? Surely they're somehow obliged to give me a written reference? The manager can barely speak english (he's from mayo) so even if he tried to give me a good phone reference, he'd fuck it up, but even that aside, i'll need to be able to show something for three years work when applying to college.

Ideas?

 

[theoootini]

pretty standard fare for getting references from old jobs. could you get the reference directly from your manager, thereby avoiding shit company policy? providing the manager is a good person...

i'm sure there's a liabilty thing preventing the company from vouching for you properly...

 

[Mormon Nailer]

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/c...k-and-changing-job/changing-job/giving_notice

I didn't realise this...

What about drafting something yourself and seeing if the old job would print and sign it for you - tell them the new job is looking for a written reference.

I assume they are refusing out of lazyness and not pure bad mindedness

 

[Mormon Nailer]

i'm sure there's a liabilty thing preventing the company from vouching for you properly...

I think this is possible all right - they give you a glowing reference and you turn out to be useless they are liable- but I've never heard a company taking action on foot of it in practice.

 

[theoootini]

my girlfriend got shafted like this by her tutor. all he would vouch for was the dates she was his student.

 

[RSJ]

Shafted is the word. I'll need two references for applying to certain colleges and without a written reference from the job i was in for three years and is most relavent to my course, i'm screwed. And i know the guy, there's no way he'll budge. Complete arsehole.

 

[theoootini]

fake it and chance yer arm?

 

[Livewire]

Here's the dilemma.

Recruiters, Human Resources people want real references. That means someone they can ring up who will answer all their invasive nosey questions. I have provided written references before and they've fobbed them off.

Companies have gotten sued for giving bad references so now all they want to do is verify employment dates, job titles, and salary. They decree a policy that says "nobody give references, send them to H.R. if someone wants a reference."

I have two previous employers who aren't bound by some policy mentioned above who I keep in regular email contact with. Every time I contract to a new place I give their names and phone numbers so the recruitment and human resource people stay happy.

It can be really frustrating when you've got an offer on the table but some Human Resources person won't sign off on you until they talk to a real live person about you.

 

[evil bandit]

In every job that I've worked in during my last week I rob a load of headed paper so that I can write my own reference, it's never failed me yet.

Can you not just give one of your mates mobiles and get them to pretend that they were your boss? I worked in as a team leader in a call centre for about two year back in 2004 and still get the occasional call on my mobile from companies looking for references on people that were on my team.

 

[rettucs]

fake it and chance yer arm?

+1 to this.

Deffo, fake it. I've seen some whopping works of fiction in my time. And 2 jobs I've had they never even checked my references.

Pop down something and give one of your mates' names. Tell them the company went bust in the recession. You worked there 5 years ago when it was a startup. Can't fail.

 

[tommytrousers]

Just emailed my old work to ask for a reference to use for applying to college in UK and getting jobs. Got this back in an email:

The attatched "reference" just says "RSJ worked at **** from day x to day x as an electronic technician. If you have further questions, ring me on 555-666-666, regards, some dude".

Is there anything i can do here? Surely they're somehow obliged to give me a written reference? The manager can barely speak english (he's from mayo) so even if he tried to give me a good phone reference, he'd fuck it up, but even that aside, i'll need to be able to show something for three years work when applying to college.

Ideas?

Most of the responses so far are correct. Your choices here are to go to HR in the old job and ask them to disclose your file records or go over all their heads and ghost something an ex-director would sign.

There has been major shite in my job in the past with references not checking out when the referee was contacted directly and people getting job offers withdrawn etc.

I would imagine any college worth its salt would be familiar with the situation and would have a standard form they would send to HR in your old company if you are offered a course place.

You should also include the direct line number for a previous line maaager on your college application form and if there is no problems with your work record they should give a satisfactory verbal reference no matter how useless they are. Send them an email sometime soon mentioning someone may ring in this regard (include some lickarse small talk in this email of course)

 

[RSJ]

if it was for a job, maybe. But i need a reference for college. Could seriously bite me in the arse.

 

[tommytrousers]

if it was for a job, maybe. But i need a reference for college. Could seriously bite me in the arse.

Any ex-clients you had a good working relationship with? A testimonial as opposed to a reference can't do any harm.

 

[Cormcolash]

Slap them

 

[therealjohnny]

Get your local priest to vouch for you

 

[Froog]

my last two professional jobs didn't check my references. i had "references available on request" on my CV and they never asked me for them. one was quite a large multinational.

 

[Froog]

although i would imagine colleges would be more likely to be thorough about references.

 

[theoootini]

although i would imagine colleges would be more likely to be thorough about references.

why would they? have you ever seen the bored souls that work in college admin offices?

 

[Lili Marlene]

my place outsourced to some interview companies in the US and another in the UK who checked references and conducted a phone interview etc.

bloody weird, especially since I had to fight tooth and nail to get a reference for college

 

[Froog]

why would they? have you ever seen the bored souls that work in college admin offices?

cause they're more likely to be scrutinized because they are public entities and have to work by the book?