The 4 Biggest Myths About Job References

Reader Comments
Back to blog

I am convinced my old boss is giving me a horrible reference and this is why I've not been called for a job. I've been laid off for 2 years now, I have an Associates degree, and over 8 years of experience behind me for the jobs I apply for so there is no reason why after I actually get an interview and I have a good feeling about it and things go really well that I never get a call back. I am completely frustrated with this and I want to know if in fact, my boss is ruining my job prospects for me! How can I find out if she is???

Cindy of MI 12:10PM January 21, 2011

Everyone knows not every boss is a bed of roses. What about when you work at a very small company (3 people, including you) with a really, really hostile culture and you leave? There are so many small business owners who hire their family members and the occasional outside person who then receives the full brunt of their family dramas, bully tactics and outrageously out of whack double standards for employees who aren't related to them or haven't been their best friends for a few decades. I think it's sometimes just not possible to get a good reference out of someone. If an employee suffers through a nasty work environment for three years or any considerable amount of time, doesn't give their co-worker or manager from that job as a reference because of this, and the hiring manager calls them anyway, what can they do?

Magda of CA 12:14AM September 28, 2010

I guess the thing to do today is just outsource your Job References. I saw careerexcuse.com will give you professional job references for only $64.. Must be a generation Y thing or the crappy economy.

worldly of OH 11:02AM November 15, 2009

5 years ago I was fired from a local company were I worked as a cashier and assistant manager.
after several temp positions I started working as a production worked at a local factory During a long illness and hospitalization the customer that my division supplyed closed down.
resulting in my being layed off.
I was geven a very good reference by the last employer. but the one from 5 years has started listing outrageous reasons for firing me.
they have told prospective employers the I stole large sumes of money, assailed coworkers, molested children, stole beer,cigarettes, and gas, and thretened employees. the former manager has even falsely reported that I was harassed him while I was at Work.
I do not have any ability to hire a lawyer.
The D.O.L. talked to him 5 years ago already and now it starts all over again
also my former manager has set up a twitter account on why not to hire me and demanding I leave town.

tad of SD 3:03AM October 23, 2009

I think it is wrong for an previous boss to give input about you - how about you were under extreme bullying from a previous manager - they will do anything to stop you from getting a job. Also even if the facts seem true to the manager -- they can have head strong perceptions of you that is incorrect. One instance when I first started with a company to learn the product, the test took me an estimate of 30 days to complete (of course I was just learning) and I said the schedule only had 2 weeks for all of the test. This product is very time consuming installing and creating the scenarios and especially when you are just learning a complex product. I told my manager that it will take me with this release between 15 to 25 workdays, but I have to get back with him with the formal official estimates after I evaluate the additional test cases and see how fast I can do the setup, etc for 1,000 of them. So, I never gave my estimates and it was not set in stone. That day I found out later he wrote everything down in three pages and 7 months later used it against me in review and said I needed improvement in estimating my work, which is a bad mark in my review. The manager did this without talking to me about it first -- plus QA was never part of the estimates of the work anyway - they set the time even though they had no idea how long it will take me. So, if they call my manager, he will say that I can not estimate my work and I will not be hired. It should be against the law for a person to ruin your chances for work - this is my life and you can never work again. It is character assassination as far as I am concerned it is your career. I am not able to get in contact with the manager --- when you are laid off - they were told that no one can contact us at this specific company -- the lay off was around 60 people in a start-up that was not getting much funding. So, this would not be my current employer. I am greatly concerned that this Manager who will destroy my chances forever. What do you do then?

John of CA 3:37PM August 14, 2009

Well I parted ways with a company who told me that I simply wasn't needed any longer. When I applied for unemployment benefits, said company tried to have my benefits denied stating that they let me go due to my actions that caused money to be stolen.
Of course this was a surprise to me, since there was no police report and no writeups.
Now I am worried that this company will say such things to any potential future employer. Are they allowed to say these things?

Theresa of NC 12:48AM August 14, 2009

I still see companies getting the upper hand here in all dealings. Even if you leave a company in an at-will situation, you can still get 'punished' for it. An employer can basically say whatever they want as long as they can back it up, but how much information will truly get back to the prospective jobseeker? The onus would be on the jobseeker to PROVE that the ex-employer is effectively stopping them from seeking a new job. We all have had a job that left us nauseous and we quit. Companies can let employees go at a moment's notice yet employees are somehow obligated to give two weeks or more notice 'as a courtesy'? (translation: veiled threat you better give them some padded time or no reference no matter how hard or long you worked for them)
The bottom line is, no company is loyal to you nor has to give you a reference. You are better off going to former employees or people you worked with that you built a rapport with, and ask them for references, written and email addys or phone numbers for the prospective employer to contact.
Nowadays most prospective employers don't want to talk to another company's HR, they want to speak to a live human being that worked with you and can vouch for your work ethic.
Your boss usually has little clue as to how much you do because they are too busy with their own careers to care.
Say what you will, call me bitter, but the truth is, what I'm writing is realistic.
Treat yourself the way a company would treat itself -- as a commodity, and once you view yourself as a business with a set of skills to sell, the letting yourself get batted around by these companies looking to lowball you by making you doubt yourself will become a laughable memory as you find a job that's right for you and will pay you what you are worth.

tired of NY 2:41PM August 13, 2009

is it fair to request that your current employer only give out job title, length of employment and salary? our policy manual says that in general they will only give that information but does not confirm that this is the policy.

justavisitor of VA 12:56PM August 12, 2009

Alison, you're absolutely right that these myths are out there. And they terrify folks who have bad references, mostly because they don't know what to do about their reference situations
Thank you for clarifying the legality of former employers giving detailed references. Knowing such references can be given is a good reason to leave a job on good standing. Even if you get fired, you can part company with a positive tone. In fact, a thank you note to the former employer for whatever positive experiences you had on the job might not be a bad idea. It might very well be placed in your employment file for future reference.

Susan Ireland of CA 12:29PM August 11, 2009