Sadly, the often-overlooked “last phase” of the hiring process – checking the applicant’s references – has undone many a candidate. “A sizable number of the references we check are for job candidates who already suspect negative feedback from former employers”, says Jeff Shane, Vice President of Allison & Taylor Reference Checking.
“We find that the most likely offenders offering negative references are former supervisors,” says Shane. “Perhaps a position of authority makes them feel that the company reference policies don’t really apply to them – or that there is no way that their employer will ever become aware that they have given negative feedback that is contrary to company policy. Human Resources can be problematic as well – while they are less likely than supervisors to offer extensive commentary, a simple “not eligible for rehire” statement can effectively kill an applicant’s prospects for future employment.”
If a former employer is speaking inappropriately when responding to an employment inquiry, employees can exercise the option of a Cease & Desist letter (they may also be able to pursue more substantive legal action). A Cease & Desist letter will help ensure that the transgressor will stop their actions out of fear of corporate reprisal.
In offering this service, Allison & Taylor works with attorneys well-versed in employment law who will review the client’s report from a negative reference, speak directly with them to discuss protocol and options, and then issue the letter to the organization where the negative commentary arose. As part of the overall fee, Allison & Taylor then re-conducts the original reference check to determine if the negative reference is continuing to offer harmful commentary. This rarely turns out to be the case – the documented “success rate” of this letter is extremely high.
For further details on services and procedures please visit www.AllisonTaylor.com.