Want to know what your references are saying about you? Well, hire a company whose job is to check the references. Truth be told, companies do not check the references, a professional reference checking companies do it for them. Likewise, there are companies for job seekers who provide the same kind of service. Even after an excellent job interview, you are not getting the desired result and you doubt it is the references that are keeping you away from success; you might want to seek the service of such a company. Whether you want to speak to your references yourself or use the service of such a company, it is always better to know what they are saying about you. Next time you might think before you refer someone.
Handling the Bad Reference
It is most likely that your bad boss might be contacted, you must prepare for the possibility of bad references. In case you are still employed, you can avoid your bad boss by seeking confidentiality. You can request them not to contact your current employer. These days it is common to look for a confidential job and most companies respect such requests.
In case you do not have a choice:
- You must talk to your boss. Make an agreement with him on what he has to say, in case someone asks for his view. It might not seem possible, but there is no harm in trying it.
- Try getting an idea about your weaknesses and do something to address them. If they got any complaints, tell them you are working on improving it.
- Last but not least, better not to do anything, except pray that your other references are strong enough to outdo the negative one.
References Checklist
Things you need to consider when you decide your list of references:
- Take care when selecting your references. Include your current boss and a few people who might be able to give a good account of your work performance.
- Be sure about their contact information and current title. You must be correct about their details.
- Know about the policy on providing references, both your current and previous HR department. Call them; it is good to know about it.
- You must have a copy of your past evaluations. Some past employers may ask you to sign a release for it.
- Know what your references sincerely think about your skills, your capacities, and your success.
- In case you anticipate a negative reference, work to control the damage that might be done. Your best option is to work to improve it.
- Hire a professional reference checking firm to find out what is being said about you. Their findings might prepare you for the next time.
Avoiding any possibility of negative references is your best way. A good résumé, an excellent interview, and a strong reference are sure to help you get a job.
