Career Sabotage: The Influence of a Past Employer
ningcontentThe word was out on Jim Walters. Someone was telling prospective employers that they shouldn’t hire him. It cost him at least twelve top job offers, kept him unemployed for over a year, and more than $100,000 of his retirement fund.
Walters, not his real name, has since found work, but two years later he is still angry at his former boss for nearly ruining his life. Walters was able to stop his boss from spreading more lies, but he wonders how many other job seekers are not so fortunate.
“For months I suspected that my former boss was saying something about me. The problem was I didn’t know what he was saying or how to prove it” said Walters, a former general manager for a manufacturing company.
Job seekers can now turn the tables on their former bosses. Many are starting to check up on former bosses, colleagues and even trusted friends. Let’s face it. Companies have been checking out potential employees’ backgrounds for years.
“When you get right down to it, you just don’t know for sure, who you can trust. There is simply too much at stake – your job, your income, your family’s well being – to chance it that your references are positive and accurate,” said Heidi M. Allison, Managing Director of Allison & Taylor, Inc., a professional reference checking firm.
Ms. Allison stated that about half of the references they investigate are mediocre to down right negative – often to the surprise of the clients. “People they believe are giving them a good reference are not” she said, “And just as many who have assumed they are getting a bad reference are not.”
It is not uncommon for references to pass out inaccurate information. Dates and title of employment, the reason for the separation and salary information are typically mistaken and unfortunately it is assumed by potential employers that the job seeker is lying.
Sometimes information is subtle. For instance, if a reference doesn’t return two or three calls, that raises a red flag. Innuendoes such as, “Are you sure he listed me as a reference?” or “Well, according to our agreement I can only confirm that she worked here” offer additional clues that things are just not right.
Ms. Allison has also noticed that the higher the position, the more freely references divulge damaging information. “Clients often assume that company policies to only confirm limited information are strictly followed. I usually ask them if they are in a hurry and don’t see a police officer if they tend to push the speed limit. References are no different. If someone really liked you and wants to help you land another job, or if [he]had a problem with you and doesn’t want to see you working, [he] can and will break company policy.”
The purpose of checking your references should not be to file a lawsuit. However, a candidate does need to know the quality of his or her references and whether former employers are passing on personal opinions, conjecture, rumors or accurate legal facts.
Allison & Taylor Reference Checking, Inc., headquartered in Rochester, Mich., has been in the business of checking references for individuals since 1984. The firm’s services have been listed and recommended in best selling books authored by Martin Yate. In addition, numerous articles have been published about the service in newspapers and magazines including Glamour, New Woman, Worth, NBEW, The Detroit News, and St. Petersburg Times. For more information, please visit www.jobreferences.com or call 800-651-2460.
