ensure that any negative input obtained can be legally addressed and neutralized. If negative input from a reference is uncovered, what steps can you take? Your options will depend on the nature of the negative input. Where your reference’s communication was inaccurate, malicious, or wrongful you may have the ability - through an attorney - to pursue legal recourse. When a reference’s negative input is not unlawful but is nonetheless restricting your ability to secure future employment, it can sometimes be addressed through a Cease & Desist letter . These letters are issued by an attorney and sent to the senior management of the company, alerting them to the negative reference’s identity and actions. (Oftentimes, the very act of offering a negative reference is against corporate guidelines , as typical policy is that only a former employee’s title/dates of employment should be confirmed.) In the interest of self-protection, the company will usually caution the negative reference not to offer additional comments or negative commentary again. When handled correctly, the prospects for neutralizing further negative input from a reference are excellent. If concern about your references is causing you some sleepless nights, it’s never too soon to document - and address - what your references are really saying about you. For more information on conducting a reference check, please visit AllisonTaylor.com . CHAPTER 32 Good Prospects - Bad References? Do You Know What Your Former Boss Will Tell Your Prospective Employer? Susan was anxiously awaiting input on her application for an RN position at her local hospital. Her interviews had gone well, encouragement had been offered, and then...no callbacks of any kind from the hospital. When she called them for a status update, she was merely told that she was no longer being considered and that the hospital “had made other arrangements”. Should Susan have been concerned about her references ? Is the scenario described here, a common one? Simply put, the answers are “yes,” and “yes”. Many job seekers can relate to gaining initial interviews - followed perhaps by a 2nd or 3rd interview as well - and then having the “trail go cold” after initial encouragement had been offered by the prospective employer. Too often, this scenario is the result of negative feedback obtained from one (or more) of their reference checks . While some believe that employers are less likely to check references than in years past, the opposite is almost certainly the case. This is due in part to the fact that our economy is currently favoring an “employer’s market” - potential employers can be (and are) increasingly “picky” as they typically have a larger pool of qualified candidates to choose from. Related to this, they are more inclined to conduct “due diligence” by checking out not only an applicant’s HR reference (the traditional venue), but a former supervisor(s) as well. Their motive: an awareness that HR personnel receive more training and emphasis in confirming only employment dates and titles, whereas supervisors - who knew the applicant personally - tend to be more inclined to verbalize their impressions of the candidates. Prospective employers are eager to get kind of candid feedback when they can get it, and realize it is more likely to be forthcoming from a candidate’s former supervisor than their HR representative. Some employers even use this knowledge as a tool during the initial application or interview process. Candidates might be asked, “What was your bosses’ name at your last place of employment?” or even “What would your former supervisors say about you as an employee?” either on their application form or during the interview. Realizing that the employer might contact their former supervisors or co-workers, candidates might think twice before embellishing their employment history or performance.
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