Letters of recommendation.

More clearly, do letters require verfication by phone call, etc. Any of you have a situation where you can't locate the letter writers? Seems every time I track one down, and call, the voice on the phone usually says 'He is no longer with this company. Click'...

You usually must list your supervisors name, title and work phone number. If they no longer work where you used to work, it's expected that you keep in contact with them simply because they are your references. With all the layoffs and moving around now for a decade that everyone has experienced, you won't be excused from having the information on your application up to date, simply because everyone else has had to keep things up to date, and does. Put aside those you have no contact info on, and choose others.

The background check will talk to Human Resources as well if your past Co.s have an HR. Your file will have comment on your rehire status.

Well, I understood part of that anyway, thanks? What is the letter writer is dead? A favorite supervisor killed herself after a bad affair with the medical director. She wrote a very nice recommendation for me. Also, 3 places I worked at before have gone out of business. And I know several others that have left the state, and have no clue where they are. Nice thing about this forum is the variety of situations we can all present for the audience.

I think a potential employer already knows if they want to hire you, and a letter or call just seals the deal. I doubt they get a bad vibe in an interview, but reconsider after reading a letter. However, in my case I feel my reference letters are worth gold. I keep them in a secure place and keep in touch with the writers regularly.

I wouldn't use a letter if it is so outdated the person's contact information is invalid. If they call the person using the information from that letter and it leads to a dead end it would seem awfully fishy.

I agree, but I also would think that a letter ought to carries more weight than a phone call- a snapshot, a document, of a person's performance at a set time? Like an evaulation? I was under the impression that the reason to GET a letter of reference was so that you had something concrete in the future, since people are so mobile (as in- don't leave here until you give me that letter!)? I'm in the odd position of not having worked for 'years', by choice- a long sabbtical?, and also- of the last 4 places I worked at: 2 went out of business, and a 3rd was sold off to a new partnership, and therefore there are no records of my having worked there, since the original company took their paperwork with them, and the last went through five DONs and five admins in the year I was there. In that last place, the management didn't even have time to know WHO worked there, it was a daily scramble just to try to keep a job, so all anyone would be able to find out about me is if and when I worked there- nobody ever got any kind of evaluation, even, the place was so out of control and chaotic. So I have a stack of glowing letters of recommendation, from places that no longer...exist? Any HR peeps in the house?

"Momma SAID there'd be days like this..."

Well, I understood part of that anyway, thanks? What is the letter writer is dead? A favorite supervisor killed herself after a bad affair with the medical director. She wrote a very nice recommendation for me.

Not only can the letter not be verified, if her story is known, her recommendation might not bear the weight you'd wish. Put it away; it's not for your resume.

Not only can the letter not be verified, if her story is known, her recommendation might not bear the weight you'd wish. Put it away; it's not for your resume.

Thanks, I'd never use that, no. I've just been reading scores of similar posts, and it made me recall that supervisor. I threw my question out to a HR blog, also- eager to hear what that group may have to say.

Also, after hours of investigation today- I actually located the company (I thought the whole company went bust, but in fact it changed hands over and over) that my letters arose from, on their own stationary, so that's a good place to start- they'd have my old employment records.

Letters of reference can be falsified, most employers prefer phone references. In a competitive job market, evidence of current professional practice or education, along with current references are pretty much required.

That's the thing- phone calls be set up to be bogus, as well. So far I've heard the gamut- HR doesn't read the letters, you must have letters and calls to back them up, you don't need letters, etc. This brings up yet another point: What if you present a letter, then they call the letter writer, who then gives a different opion of what they said in their letter? I myself, would not so much as cross a 't' on an application, without thinking twice- no taking back what to write on an application. I hear people lie on resumes, etc., all day every day, though. My favorite is claiming diplomas that are bogus.

This is all new to me- letters, references, resumes? Never in my life until now (because I'v been on prolonged 'vacation', which is why I asked for the letters in the first place- no recent work history) did I ever have to do anything except fill out an application, after being asked:"When can you start"? I've never even had a resume. Used to be all you had to do was show a license when you walked in the door. Times have changed, eh?