Making Sure You Get a Good Reference

You've had 3 interviews with a potential employer and they've asked you for references from your prior job. The problem is that you didn't leave on the best of terms and now you're a bit worried about the kind of reference they'll give. Follow these simple rules and you will be able to handle this without any problem.

The first thing to do is determine what kind of reference they will actually give. Ask a friend or relative to make believe they are a potential employer and call to get a reference on you. If you are especially concerned about the kind of reference you are getting, record the call if you can. Alternatively, you can find a lot of firms on the Internet that perform this service at a reasonable cost.

Ask the following questions.

1. What date did she work for you?
2. What was her title?
3. What was her compensation?
4. What would you say she does best?
5. What would you say she does worst?
6. Why did she leave?
7. Would you hire her again?

Many companies, for fear of being sued, will not confirm anything other than your title and dates of employment. On the other hand, if your old employer said terrible things about you, you need to shut them down.

Compose a letter stating that you have been told that the company has given a bad reference on you. State that you feel this is unjustified. Then state strongly that you are actively interviewing and if anything the company says about you in the future should cause you to lose a job offer, then you will seek legal counsel and compensation. Companies hate being sued so this should stop them immediately. Alternatively and especially if you have a low-cost legal service, have your attorney write the letter. Either way, the company will quickly learn to follow the rules and just confirm your employment.

Finally, depending on the reason you left the last firm, position your departure appropriately with your potential new boss. You do not want to go into detail about why you are getting a bad reference since that inevitably leads you say something negative. There are always 2 sides to any story and even though you may feel justified in your position, your potential employer may have second thoughts. Just set the stage for any reference checker to receive basic information about you. For example, state "I have to say I didn't leave on the best terms as we are still disputing sales commissions (bonuses) due me".

In any career, there are always some bumps in the road. These techniques will make sure they don't hurt your future endeavors.

Don Goodman is President of About Jobs (http://www.gotthejob.com) a Resume Writing and Job Search Assistance firm. Contact him at 800-909-0109 or by e-mail at success@gotthejob.com.

---

Match, Meet, and Mesmerize at a Job Fair

Are you considering another trip through the career maze? Attending a job fair can make you feel like you are playing a losing game unless you have... Read More

5 Tips for Customizing your Resume

Gone are the days of the bland, generic one-page resume. Employers these days are more impressed by a resume that is customized and they tend to give... Read More

The Ripple Effect of Fear

Unemployment carries a lot of emotional baggage for most of us and fear is a major component. We fear the financial fallout of no longer receiving regular... Read More

From The WorkWise Collection: Ten Ways to Win the Job Search Mind Game

Are you one of the thousands of job seekers who question their sanity, marketability, and capacity to make smart decisions-just because you've lost your job? Are you... Read More

Oil, Lube and Filter Employee Pay

We have been studying the labor rates of Oil, Lube and Filter Quick Lube Facilities and we are finding that the pay is lower than you might... Read More

What to Do if You are Over 40 and Have Lost Your Job

Unexpectedly loosing your job can be a very traumatic and distressing experience at the best of times. If you are over 40 and can't find the job... Read More

What Not To Include In Your Resume

Do you have a difficult time determining what does not go in your job resume? The rule of thumb is to only put enough information about your... Read More

Cracking the Connection Code: Networking for the Introverted

We've all heard it before: "Just get out there and network!" If it was that easy, we would already be doing it. So why is it so... Read More

5 Simple Rules for A Great Job Interview

Many years ago, when I was a young job-searching greenhorn, I ventured to New York City to take a bite out of the big apple of opportunity.When... Read More

Job Search Secret #1

The job search secret that is so powerful it will blow your socks off is simple - if you think you want or need a Career Change... Read More

How To Write A Résumé

Figure out what you want to do.You can't write an effective résumé if you have no job target. What I mean by this is you need to... Read More

The Power to Succeed

It's amazing how we fool ourselves... while at the same time believing we are doing what's best.Let me give you an example. I overheard a guy telling... Read More

Business Dress for Women: Making Impact

Buying a suit can be an important investment when you are trying to improve your look for business or career advancement. Wearing a standard off-the rack suit... Read More

How to Get the Job You Want in Any Economy... Act Like a Headhunter

Having spent the last few years of my career in the staffing and recruiting industry, I'm asked all the time by friends and relatives if I can... Read More

Retirement: Is It A Career Change Option?

Retirement might be the answer when you ask yourself "why do I want to make a career change" and you decide that what you actually want is... Read More

Negotiate Better Job Offers with This Twelve-Point Checklist

You've been through an employer's interview process successfully and have now been extended a job offer. And you think the offer could be better. If that's the... Read More

What to Ask During the Interview

Don't just sit there and bob your head, waiting to answer the next question - be prepared to ask your own questions and make the interviewer know... Read More

Dazzle Interviewers With Your Achievements

Attention Job Seekers: Tasks and Responsibilities are BoooringHo hum. The interviewer sits there drumming her fingers on the desk trying to look interested while you drone on... Read More

Job Interviews and The Secret of Selling Yourself

A very effective and persuasive tactic when selling something is to promote its benefits as well as its features.Very simply, features are what something has; benefits are... Read More

Do I Have to Provide a Salary History?

Often you see job postings with a request such as "Send resume with salary history to?" I don't know about you but the first thing that pops... Read More

Medical Billing Businesses Are Growing Fast And Providing A Needed Service For Doctors

You've seen the commercials and web sites about starting medical billing businesses in your home. You can't just start calling doctors and telling them you will take... Read More

Looking the Part

I don't know his name and he wasn't trying to be profound. A man who worked for one of my colleagues always showed in a shirt and... Read More

Ode to a Spoon

"Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have." --Rabbi Hyman Judah Schachtel (1907-1990)I have to admit it, I love spoons. I love their... Read More

Career Success Through Self-Marketing

Marketing shouldn't be limited to advertising companies. Finding a job or enhancing your current position requires good self-marketing skills. What is self-marketing? Basically, self-marketing is communicating your... Read More

Why Become A Truck Driver?

There are a great number of good reasons for someone to become a truck driver. First and foremost among those reasons would be the great pay. Did... Read More

Overcome Interview Nerves: Be Better Prepared than Your Interviewer

Although interview preparation is everything it's sad to say that perhaps as many as half of all interviewers you're going to meet will be unprepared or incompetent.... Read More