Comments on: Have you ever hired someone with a bad reference?

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:16:39 +0000

I witnessed my boss give a horrible reference (swearing and all) in front of the entire staff over the phone to a prospective employer of someone who was fired from my current place of employment. He was not a horrible employee, he was punctual did his job, worked through his lunch. but he had a bit of a temper and mouthed off a customer…in the parking lot. so he was fired and should have been for doing something as stupid as that but it made me think: “is this what he will say about me when i leave?” If my boss has this low of a regard for a former employee that he will be this unprofessional and defame someone openly what is to say i wont get this same treatment? and correct me if i am wrong but this is Defamation is it not?

would references which are so blatantly one sided be met with criticism by HR or would they just be taken as is?

By: Jan

Jan — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 08:42:55 +0000

In reply to Kate.

well,I dont mean to be rude but you had that one coming. When your Conscience pings back like that, its a sign that you did the wrong thing.
If you cant give someone a good reference, then you shouldn’t give one at all. People are trying to get hired and if you’ve already agreed to help them out by being a reference, then you should go all of the way. Whats it to you that they’re looking to move on with their career?

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 18:14:40 +0000

I was called to provide a reference for someone who was being offered a job in a different part of my organization. When I called back to provide it, I found out they’d already hired her. However, they still were interested in anything I wanted to share. I was honest that she had some skills, but also some areas for growth. She was hired (and not working for me) so I could rest easy I had been honest yet not cost her the job.

I just found out that someone disclosed to her that I gave a less-than-glowing reference. She has now shared this with at least one other person in our company for whom I had also provided a reference (though very positive). He now worried about what I’d said about him. Well I don’t regret being honest, it certainly makes me hesitant to answer a reference check in the future, and concerned there are ethics violations.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:58:57 +0000

In reply to Ann. I'm having the same issue I'm trying to find a teaching job. So frustrating.

By: Ann

Ann — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 02:48:24 +0000

In reply to Daryl Basarab. Just had that experience. ..shocking as wasted hours of 4-5 peoples time. I consistently get to being the preferred candidate then it goes cold....turns out a past boss I thought appreciated my work is having a field day putting me down

By: Ann

Ann — Fri, 25 Nov 2016 02:47:45 +0000

In reply to Daryl Basarab. Just had that experience. ..shocking as wasted hours of 4-5 peoples time. I consistently get to being the preferred candidate then it goes cold....turns out a boss I thought appreciated my work is having a field day putting me down

By: Daryl Basarab

Daryl Basarab — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 03:24:23 +0000

In reply to Evil HR Lady. Actually, some people are two-faced. Is this news to you?

By: Daryl Basarab

Daryl Basarab — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 03:24:03 +0000

In reply to Evil HR Lady. Actually, some people are two-faced. Is this news to you?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 18 May 2015 02:48:35 +0000

In reply to Natascha.

I had this happen to me. My references were glowing, but the HR person also did a blind call to my supervisor from a previous employer, who had less than kind things to say. So the HR person called me and asked if I could explain my relationship with my old boss.

The answer on my end was fairly simple; there were no performance issues, but he was offended and upset when I put in my two weeks notice. I then offered to provide another reference from that company if they desired.

Without providing further detail, they said that my comment made a lot of sense. I’ve never found out what my old supervisor said, but the HR person thought “it [was] hilarious in retrospect”. I received a job offer two hours later.

By: Anon

Anon — Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:57:57 +0000

In reply to Cindy. I wonder why a reference does that surely she did the standard call or email request to ask whether the reference was willing to be named so? I just don't get why a referee would give a bad reference rather opt ou than mess with someone's livelyhood!