"may we contact your previous employer" what is the correct answer?

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  1. "may we contact previous employer?" What is the proper answer?

    • 21
      Yes! No matter what. just give them what they want.
    • 5
      No!
    • 4
      Delete that work experience in your resume

30 members have participated

I'm filing as many job applications as I can find and recently, I got a call back. The person wanted to call the previous workplace for reference. I said 'yes' as I did left with good standing with them, but since then, I havent got a call back. Which obviously means I'm not getting the job and maybe the person was probably told hings that are not nice about me. I feel paranoid since I only worked there for about half a year and I resigned because I wanted to go back to school full time.

Now, as Im doing more applications, there's always a section that asks this. And I'm sure that saying no will somewhat hurt my chances...

What should I do or say? should I just erase that work experience from my resume? What if they ask about that period of time of inactivity?

Would like to hear advice.

Thanks.

There are reference checking companies that provide this service for a nominal fee.

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Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.
There are reference checking companies that provide this service for a nominal fee.

I highly recommend this route. These companies operate within the law of the state and provide necessary documentation if an issue arises.

They can be as thorough as necessary -- I did this and it was money well spent.

The documentation I received from what a former manager (who I cannot use the terms to describe him d/t TOS) said about me aided me ensuring his departure (firing). Yep, I was gone (resigned - cough, cough) but the manager was dangerous and I made it my mission to see him fired. However, it was really nice to see the report from the reference check company that my direct supervisors at that job gave good to amazing references (I had a recommendation letter from one, but still).

In the end, dangerous manager was fired — the home office flew down and escorted him out. Maybe the reference played a micro role — it did support that he couldn't follow the rules and showed him for the type of person he was. No integrity and vindictive. The bigger issues with him were impossible for him to recover from, but the reference demonstrated that he really did play the way he practiced and it was recorded and in writing. Not just employees saying it (or ex-employees). The guy was scary stupid.

I only paid to have that employer checked and it was not expensive. I don't even recall, but totally worth it.

Good luck.

I'm with Ruby Vee on this one — it may have zip to do with reference or even the time and could just be a processing issue. Chill. Head down, eyes forward and keep on, keeping on. A job will come. Just keep applying and doing it right.

This is a lot less personal that it seems – really. New grad hiring is more of a numbers game.

:angel:

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.

What is the name of the company that checks for references? I would be interested in this myself. Thanks

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

As a recently retired sup / manager, I'd suggest some caution with the idea of using a friend -- or even a reference-checking company -- to try to obtain info on how a prior employer might respond to an inquiry from a facility potentially interested in hiring you.

A couple of thoughts:

Whenever I received such calls from an unknown caller, I'd never offer any comments on the basis of that incoming call. I'd request the caller's name, title, facility name / location, and the facility's telephone number. (If I personally knew the caller -- maybe from a previous job fair or other recruiting event, or other similar circumstance, that would be different.)

Also, many employers now only provide info on previous employees when the request is made in writing, and after the documents submitted are verified to be "legit."

If any of the specifics mentioned in the above transactions appear to be factually "off," then there would be no call-back, and the entire matter would be turned over to HR -- who, in turn, would likely notify the management team. (Most larger facilities process all requests for prior personnel info through HR from the get-go.)

As I'm sure all of us know, management has serious concerns in this area about legal liability.

And as may be reasonably expected, if it's discovered that a prior staff member was behind a "phony" request for a reference, then that could end up reflecting very negatively in the eyes of that person's previous bosses... peers, and even acquaintances. From experience in multiple healthcare facilities, often even information deemed "confidential" leaks out, and eventually gets passed on to nearly everyone in the building -- which can also be very risky for management.

So... please think things through, and exercise your best judgment.

Good luck!

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