Stuck in my current position...

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

A new job requires two manager references from my current job and will not take peer references. I have asked my manager and my clinical unit leaders, who are really the only people are considered managers, for references. All have told me that company policy is that people in supervisory/management positions cannot give references as I may come back and sue the company later for defamation if I don't get the job. I was talking about this with my peers last night and several of them piped up to say they'd love to give me a reference - too bad this isn't what the new job is looking for.

The nurse recruiter at the job I have applied for has called me three times trying to make sure I got the email and I can start down the pre-employment process, asking when I was going to get the references done, and the unit manager who interviewed me has also emailed me asking if I was still interested in the position, so I'm pretty sure I have the job in the bag... except I can't meet their reference requirements, so I suppose I can't get hired.

Most places do want manager references. So... what?

I am really discouraged right now, and just thinking about quitting altogether and going back to school. I didn't want to do that yet, but I don't see many other options for getting out of this workplace.

Have any of you succeeded recently in finding a job when your current employer refuses to let managers give you a reference?

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

"At my current job, it is company policy for our managers to not write reference letters".

Perhaps the latest copy of my employee evaluation that was done on ____________ would suffice?

Otherwise, would they accept reference letter from your charge nurses?

Frustrating for sure!