HANDLING A BAD REFERENCE

It can happen to any of us. We can get a bad reference and not even know it. One bad reference can keep your from getting employment. You need to find out what they are saying about you if at all possible. There are options that you have if you believe it is happening to you. Sometimes it is possible to have someone call for you and ask what kind of a recommendation would be given. I have done this for members of Christian Career Circle and indicated I am a career counselor working with this person and want to know what kind of a reference would be given. Usually this is possible with smaller companies where you might even talk directly to the employer. Larger firms tend to be willing to state that the employee was at the firm on given dates and indicate that it is company policy to only give this information. So, what are your options? Following are some that you might consider.

YOUR SUPERVISOR – Get in touch with your last supervisor at the firm. Ask he/she if you can use them as a reference. If they hedge/hesitate to answer, you probably will not get a positive reference from this person and you will need to go to other persons in the firm. Try some of the following:

· Ask a former co-worker that you have a good rapport with who also knows the quality of your work if you can use them as a reference. You also might ask this person and other co-workers if they would write you a positive reference letter.

· Are there former managers you worked with who have left the company that you could contact who would give you a good reference? If so, use them and if possible get them to write you a reference letter.

· If you have found that your manager will not give you a positive reference you could ask this person if there were portions of your job that were satisfactory that he would speak positively about and even perhaps write a reference letter describing these work activities.

· If you have had a good interview and the time has come for the employer to ask for references, you may want to tackle the issue head on and tell him/her that you had a positive work experience at the firm and some issues with your last manager BUT that you can furnish references from other managers and former co-workers who know your work history well.

· If the bad reference is from one work experience you may want to admit what happened, how it was handled, and how you have learned from the experience so that it will not happened again. Also cite that your work history with your last employer is otherwise all positive. You also could indicate you can furnish positive references from former co-workers and positive letters of reference. This might offset the bad one.

· Another alternative (assuming you can get a partial positive reference) is to modify or limit your job search to work activities for which you can get a positive reference AND perhaps indicating that you do have work experience in the areas for which you cannot get a positive report.

Bob Raikes, NCCC

Coordinator of SHM Christian Career Circle