Your Reference May Be Offering More Information Than You Think – Actual Quotes From Former Employers
I think that many people would truly be shocked by what past employers are saying about them. In the last few posts I have been discussing this topic and the reality that the “safe” references many job seekers provide to potential employers may be the very ones that are killing their chances of winning that sought-after new job.
Here are some more actual examples of questions and responses in references checked by Allison & Taylor:
Responses to questions about performance: References are asked to rank skills on a scale from 1(inadequate) to 5 (outstanding):
- Oral Communications: “Can I give a negative number … -1”?
- Financial Skills: “Well, that’s why our company had a major layoff – left her in charge of finances!”
- Written Communications: “You mean when she finally turned in the reports due a week earlier??”
- Technical Skills: “Is zero in your rating scale?”
- Interpersonal Relations: “One. He had a problem with a few of the people. I should have ended the relationship just after he started.”
- Productivity: “Is there a rating less than inadequate?
- Employee Relations: “There was a lot of he said/ she said happening with other employees. And other than her leaving, nothing else has changed. We haven’t had any problems since then, so we know she was the source of the problem.”
- Decision Making: “He couldn’t make a decision if his life depended on it!”
- Leadership: “He had no leadership skills.”
- Crisis Management: “He [fireman] totally ignored the emergency call when it came in. He said he didn’t hear it!”
- Short Term Planning: “Lousy, can’t remember something that was completed on time!”
- Personal Integrity: “I don’t think she had any integrity.”
- Long Term Planning: “He wasn’t here long enough to rate him.”
- Overall Performance: “Inadequate would be a positive word for him!”
- Managerial Skills: “He couldn’t manage a group of children!”
Come back next time for the last post in this topic that is very important to anyone who is looking for a job.