• Personal Integrity: “I don’t think she had any integrity.” • Long Term Planning: “He wasn’t here long enough to rate him.” • Overall Performance: “Inadequate would be a positive word for him!” • Managerial Skills: “He couldn’t manage a group of children!”
It is not uncommon to contact a reference and find him or her hesitant, evasive or annoyed by the call . Sometimes tone of voice and inflection speak volumes; many express anger, shock, unhappiness or disbelief that they have been called regarding the employee. We are calling you as a reference regarding (the candidate). • “I do not care to comment at all. I let him go and that’s all I care to say!” • “Are you certain he gave you my name?” • “I cannot believe you were given my name as a reference.” • “Hold on, let me get the legal file to see what I am allowed to say.” • “Never heard of him!” • “I’m surprised she even listed us on her work history.” Allison & Taylor Reference Checking estimates that 50% of their references come back as “lukewarm” or “negative”. Don’t allow yourself to be surprised and sabotaged by an unfavorable reference. A simple reference check, conducted by a professional agency such as Allison & Taylor Reference Checking , can tell you definitively whether or not a reference is providing a positive, professional response to inquiries made about you. If they are not, you can take proactive steps to
prevent this continued spread of negative information, and you may even have legal recourse. To find out more about reference checking, please visit Allison & Taylor Reference Checking . CHAPTER 42 For the Boss: Handwritten Holiday Card, or E-Card? What is the Appropriate Christmas Card Etiquette in Business?
It’s once again the holiday season, and many in the professional world wonder: “Should I send members of my management team some sort of holiday greeting card? If so, is it appropriate to dash off an email with holiday wishes, or is a traditional paper card the way to go?” Reference-checking firm Allison & Taylor Reference Checking says yes, it is a good idea to send your boss an appropriate holiday greeting. Approximately 50% of holiday card recipients indicate they are more likely to do future business with a company (or an individual) that sends holiday greeting cards. And with your co-workers vying with you for the boss’s favor, a holiday card might prove to be a small, but decisive, differentiator in your professional success. Keep in mind, however, that not all cards are created equal. When it comes to e-cards, Allison & Taylor Reference Checking suggests you forgo them for a variety of reasons. Many senior managers are older and may reflect an “old school” mentality. A greeting card sent via electronic means may be regarded by them as inappropriate, perhaps even cavalier. Additionally, such e-cards also tend to lack the “personal touch” of a card mailed individually to the boss’s door; e-cards and social media holiday greetings are often sent en masse, or (in the case of social media greetings) can be done as spur-of-the-moment responses to a comment seen on Facebook or some similar venue. Here are some reasons why sending a holiday greeting card is a good idea: 1. Connecting with your boss (or former boss) will help keep you top-of-mind in their awareness, translating to possible future support or opportunity.
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