Since Our Inception in 1984, We’ve Received Compliments and Mentions Each Year
From the World’s Most Influential Publications & Writers at: The Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times, Workplace Bullying Institute, ABC Newswire, Forbes, USA Today, Hcareers, Fortune and MyFox news
The compliments and mentions here can give you insight into our website & services and why we are so highly acclaimed with employers, employees and the media alike.
Careers on NBC News
6 Lines That Your Boss Should Never, Ever Cross
WSJ
What to Do When Employers Won’t Provide References
Forbes
Get the References You Need to Get the Job You Want
Workplace Bullying Institute
Recommends Ways to Stop Harassment at Work
Examiner.com
Job References – How to Handle Them and How to Repair Them, If Needed
USA Today
Make Sure References Aren’t Torpedoing Your Job Chances
Fortune
My Old Boss is Badmouthing Me
Christian Science monitor
Good References Are Key
The New York Times
Here’s What’s Working; Checking Your references
Fast Company
How to Keep a Bad Reference From Ruining Your Career
The Street
3 Ways to Keep Bad Job References From Derailing Your Next Job
MyFoxNews.com
Inaccurate Information May Cost You the Job
Hcareers.com
Bad Boss-Bad References
Tips to help you get hired
StarTribune.com
Why didn’t they check the references I gave?
Read the full story here
In Photos: How To Get the References You Need For the Job You Really Want
Forbes
Published By: 2016 Forbes Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Al Coleman, Jr., author of Secrets to Success: The Definitive Career Development Guide for New and First Generation Professionals, and Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor, a reference and background checking firm, offer advice for job seekers on how to get the references you need to get the job you want.
References 101: The Secret to Winning the Job
Lindsay Pollak, Millenial Workplace Expert
By: Lindsey Pollak
Published: April 22, 2016
“Peers or clients, or one of each. Think back to any project where you did a stellar job, and suggest an interviewer contact the other people involved who can ‘personally attest to your skills and expertise,’ says [Jeff] Shane [head of reference-checking service Allison & Taylor]. These folks have the advantage of knowing some details of your performance that your boss may not even be aware of, which can make their remarks that much more convincing.”
https://www.lindseypollak.com/references-101-the-secret-to-winning-the-job/
10 CEOs Make Predictions For The Future Of Business In 2016
FastCompany
By: Stephanie Vozza
Published: January 4, 2016
More people will be looking for short or part-time stints instead of full-time jobs, says Jeff Shane, CEO of reference checking company Allison & Taylor. “Professionals are increasingly choosing freelance jobs in order to gain more control over their lives, have flexibility, and be their own boss,” he says. “The rise of this trend is attributed to many factors, including increased access to technology, the impact of the recession, and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act that has imposed new costs on employers. The ‘gig economy’ has allowed employers to hire on-demand, lower cost talent and has given rise to entrepreneurial entities such as Uber.”
How Can an Employee Find Out if a Former Boss Gives a Bad Reference?
The Nest
By: Faizah Imani, Demand Media
Due to fear of legal ramifications, most employers only give prospective employers limited information about you, such as your length of employment, job position and final salary. But a former boss who gives you a bad reference can hurt your employment opportunities. With a little detective work, you can find out what your former boss is saying about you. And if you determine that he’s harming you, you can take action.
http://woman.thenest.com/can-employee-out-former-boss-gives-bad-reference-10149.html
Stopping Background Talk That Kills Job Offers
Post-Bulletin
Published: June 13 2016
Job seekers: What could poison your reputation in the eyes of a potential employer? Of course, everyone worries about the footprints they leave on social media, since there’ve been many warnings about how compromising postings can resurface to haunt you. But the original reputation killer – loose talk – is still wreaking havoc, according to a recent release from reference checking firm Allison & Taylor.
Job Reference 101: How to Secure That Vital reference
TheStreet.com & MainStreet.com
By: Brian O’Connell
Published: June 14 2016
It’s generally a good idea for career professionals to stay on the good side of their employers, but it’s an especially astute move to leave a good impression on your direct boss. Why?
https://www.mainstreet.com/article/job-reference-101-how-to-secure-that-vital-reference
5 Golden Rules of Job Reference Etiquette
North Dallas Gazette
Published: June 10, 2016
It makes good business sense – and is respectful professional etiquette – to stay in touch with your former bosses, says Allison & Taylor, the nation’s oldest professional reference checking firm.
http://northdallasgazette.com/2016/06/10/five-golden-rules-job-reference-etiquette/
4 Job References You Can Give, Other Than Your Boss
Forbes
By: Anne Fisher
Published: August 14, 2015
“About 50% of the people we contact say something negative,” observes Jeff Shane, head of reference-checking service Allison & Taylor. “And that holds true even in companies that have a formal dates-and-titles-only policy.”
http://fortune.com/2015/08/14/job-references-besides-your-boss/
How to Stop a Bully or Former Boss from Giving an Unwarranted Bad Job Reference
By: CBN
Published: March 2015
A Cease & Desist Letter is an effective means to counteract bad job references from a bully or former boss. Leaving one job and moving to another can be a challenge, but sometimes opportunity presents itself and you find the job that’s a fit.
http://cascadebusnews.com/stop-bully-former-boss-giving-unwarranted-bad-job-reference/
Ask Matt: Why didn’t they check the references I gave?
Star Tribune-Jobs
By: Matt Krumrie
Published: February 9, 2015
If you are using online job sites to float your résumé, be aware that employers also search those and can see if your online résumé matches the information provided to them, says Jeff Shane, spokesperson for Allison & Taylor Inc. (allisontaylor.com), an employment verification and reference checking firm. They may also pull references from these sites and contact those people, even if they’re not names you provided on your application. “Don’t assume that employers will only check with human resources or your former supervisor for reference purposes,” says Shane. “Employers are increasingly scrutinizing less-traditional references such as peers and co-workers.”
http://www.startribune.com/jobs/291255941.html
Checking Your Own References
The New York Times
By: Rob Walker / The Workologist
Published: February 5, 2015
I know that many interviewers make the promise that they’ll call either way and then don’t follow through. But because I got so far and seemed to be doing so well on this one, here’s my question: Should I be worried that I got a bad reference and that was the breaking point?
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/business/checking-your-own-references.html
Job Reference Rules 2.0: How to Get (and Give) Good Referrals
LearnVe$t
By: Meghan Rabbitt
Published: February 17, 2015
6 Ways to Pick—and Prep—Proper References
Résumés and interviews may do most of the heavy job-hunting lifting for you, but hiring managers take them with a grain of salt: 58% have caught a lie on a résumé, and 33% have seen an uptick in résumé “embellishments” since the recession. Enter your references, who can help verify that you’re the superstar you say you are. But how can you ensure that your references will actually help you get the job—and make sure you’re not burning any bridges with them along the way?
http://www.learnvest.com/2015/02/job-reference-etiquette/2/
Former Employees Take Steps To Combat Negative Employment References By Hiring Allison & Taylor, a Leading Reference Checking Firm
ABNEWSWIRE
Published: April 29, 2014
Negative references may be the root of the problem for those who haven’t been able to secure a new job, despite solid interviews and qualifications. Qualified job seekers who are frustrated that they have not been able to find a new job are now looking for ways to be more proactive in order to secure new employment. Allison & Taylor, a professional reference checking firm in Detroit, Michigan, provides reference checks for job seekers all over the globe.
Get the References You Need to Land the Job You Want
Forbes
By: Jacquelyn Smith
Published: January 4, 2014
“Prospective employers really take into consideration what job references say about a candidate,” says Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor, a reference and background checking firm. “You’re only going to say good things about yourself, and personal references are only going to offer positive remarks, but professional references are more detached and will be more candid, loose-lipped, and revealing.
www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/01/04/get-the-references-you-need-to-land-the-job-you-want/
Former Employees Take Steps to Combat Negative Employment References by Hiring Allison & Taylor, a Leading Reference Checking Firm in Detroit, Michigan-Press Release
Reuters
Published: April 8, 2014
Allison & Taylor, a professional reference checking firm in Detroit, Michigan, provides reference checks for job seekers all over the globe. Allison & Taylor confidentially contacts past employers and references to ask about job performance, job description, employment dates, and the reason for departure. Within approximately 10 days, job seekers will have a complete job reference report, which includes verbatim quotes, how long it took to receive a response, and the general tone of the phone call.
How to keep a bad reference from ruining your career
Fast Company
By: Stephanie Vozza
Published: June 3, 2014
So things didn’t work out with your last job. It happens. But what’s going to happen when that potential new employer calls your old boss? “Unfortunately bad references are far more common than most people realize,” says Jeff Shane, founder Allison & Taylor, a reference checking and employment verification firm. “About half of the reference checks we perform come back with negative comments.”
3 Ways to keep Job References from derailing your career
The Street
By: Brian O’Connell
Published: April 17, 2014
You should never assume what other people will say about you,” says Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor, a Detroit reference checking firm. “It explains a lot about why good people aren’t getting jobs, since anything negative can knock you out in this job market.” Allison & Taylor reports that half of all job reference checks contain “negative input” from a former employer or other professional reference. But there are some steps you can take to tackle the problem:
Bad Boss-Bad Reference
Hcareers
By: Jeff Shane
Published: June 23, 2013
Does this scenario sound familiar? Staci and her former supervisor did not part on the best of terms when she left the organization. She is now in the employment market again (seeking a Human Resources position) and a prospective employer has asked her “May we contact your former supervisor?” She’s afraid of what that person will say, but also afraid to tell her potential employer “no, you can’t contact them” for fear that it will eliminate her from consideration. What should Staci do?
http://www.hcareers.com/us/resourcecenter/tabid/306/articleid/1309/default.aspx
Reference Checking Firm Allison & Taylor
Workplace Bullying Institute
Published: April 4, 2013
Some suggest that bullying victims are simply people who “can’t take the pressure” at work. Not so, says Jeff Shane, Vice President of Allison & Taylor Reference Checking, a firm that offers “letters to stop workplace bullying. “Bullying has become an unpleasant fact of life in too many workplace environments. What makes it especially insidious is that it often continues even after someone has left a job, with the bully continuing to make their life difficult by them a poor reference to a prospective employer.”
http://www.workplacebullying.org/allison-taylor-press-release/
Don’t Let a Bad Former Employer Sabotage Your Quest for a New Job
EHS Today
By: Sandy Smith
Published: August 22, 2013
As members of the working public, most of us have had the experience of working for a “bad” boss, says Jeff Shane of Allison & Taylor Reference Checking. A bad boss can be unpleasant to work for – for a variety of reasons – but he or she tends to be easily recognizable by some common characteristics.
http://ehstoday.com/health/don-t-let-bad-former-employer-sabotage-your-quest-new-job
The Groundwork for Good References
The New York Times
By: Eilene Zimmerman
Published: May 4, 2013
Although many companies have a policy of limiting reference information to confirming employment dates and job titles, to protect against possible litigation, some people still give negative feedback, says Jeff Shane, executive vice president at Allison & Taylor, a firm in Rochester, Mich., that conducts reference checks for corporations and job seekers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/jobs/the-groundwork-for-good-references.html
Don’t Let Bad References Hold You Back
SHRM- Society for Human Resource Management
By: Lin Grensing – Pophal
Published: August 3, 2013
You’re out of a job and actively seeking new employment. Unfortunately, your last job didn’t end well and your relationship with your former manager is not a good one. – See more at: https://www.shrm.org/hrcareers/pages/0813references.aspx#sthash.AfU6ZvWq.dpuf
https://www.shrm.org/hrcareers/pages/0813references.aspx
They Said What? Real Responses to Employment Reference Checks
CBSNews.com
By: Suzanne Lucas
Published: November 13, 2013
When called for a reference, your former employer can only verify dates of employment and job title, right? Wrong.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/they-said-what-real-responses-to-employment-reference-checks/
How well do you know your references? Do you need a reference checking company to ensure that your references serve your mission to land a new job?
MyFoxDetroit
By: Murray Feldman
Published: April 1, 2012
Jeff Shane of Allison and Taylor in Troy comes to the Fox 2 Job Shop and tells Murray Feldman that inaccurate information in your references, such as position title, dates of employment or reason for separation, an untimely return phone call or the tone in a reference’s voice could send the wrong message to a prospective employer.
http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/82530871-video
6 Lines Your Boss Should Never, Ever Cross
Careers on NBC News as reported by Forbes
By: Jacquelyn Smith
Published: April 20, 2012
In these days of open plan offices, casual dress and blurring boundaries between home and work, it can be confusing to figure out whether your boss is behaving inappropriately. But if your boss’s comments or actions make you feel consistently uncomfortable, then there’s a good chance that she or he is stepping over the line of professionalism into inappropriate behavior. If that’s the case, you should initiate a conversation with your boss, recommends Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor, a reference and background checking firm in Rochester, Mich.
Make Sure References Aren’t Torpedoing Your Job Chances
USA Today
By: Anita Bruzzese, Gannett
Published: January 24, 2012
If you’ve been frustrated that you haven’t managed to nail a new job despite your qualifications and solid interviews, your references could be the root of the problem.
Job references – how to handle them and how to repair them if needed
Examiner.com
By: Diane Muchow
Published: March 1, 2012
You’ve aced the interview, and the company interviewer says you’ll probably be getting a job offer shortly. Then, NOTHING happens. Soon, you receive the dreaded “reject” letter or email saying that someone else got the job. You suspect that your prior employer may be giving a less than stellar reference, but you’re just not sure. Is there a way to ascertain exactly what is being said, and if you have a problem?
http://www.examiner.com/article/job-references-how-to-handle-them-and-how-to-repair-them-if-needed
MetroMode
Innovation and Jobs News
By: Jon Zemke
Published: March 29, 2012
Ever wonder what people say about you behind your back? Or better yet, what references say when you’re applying for a new job? Allison & Taylor is growing its business by revealing that sort of information.
http://www.metromodemedia.com/innovationnews/allisonandtaylorrochester0249.aspx
Are Your References Keeping You from Getting Hired?
GlassDoor.com
By: Nancy Mann Jackson
Published: August 16, 2011
You make it through the final interview with flying colors. The hiring manager all but offers you the job, but needs a few days to check references and complete paperwork before making you an offer. Then, silence. You never hear from him again.
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/references-keeping-hired/
Is Your Old Boss Wrecking Your Job Hunt?
By: Anne Fisher
Published: September 1, 2011
Even a lukewarm reference from a former employer can be enough to cost you the job you want. Here’s how to handle it.
http://fortune.com/2011/09/01/is-your-old-boss-wrecking-your-job-hunt/
In Job Search, Good References Are Key
The Christian Science Monitor
By: Laurent Belsie
Published: February 24, 2011
Job seekers often overlook the importance of choosing and cultivating the right references in their job search.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2011/0224/In-job-search-good-references-are-key
Why Checking References Isn’t a Waste of Time
The New York Times
By: Jay Goltz
Published: March 10, 2011
If you are checking references, there must have been several things the person said in the interview that you found appealing. Verify them. Many times, it’s not what the references say, it’s what they don’t say. You have to read between the lines.
http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/why-checking-references-isnt-a-waste-of-time/
Allison & Taylor Urges Job Seekers to Beware: Companies Frequently Break Job Reference Policies-Press Release
PRWeb
Published: May 26, 2010
Allison & Taylor, a leading global reference checking and employment verification firm, helps former employees combat negative reference checks that may be standing in the way of securing new employment.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/05/prweb4052414.htm
My old boss is badmouthing me!
Fortune
By: Anne Fisher
Published: December 17, 2009
Even if a reference doesn’t say anything definitely damning, he or she will often use a lukewarm tone of voice or vague, terse comments to put down a candidate, or to hint at less-than-stellar performance. As one former boss told an Allison & Taylor reference checker recently: “I’d rather not comment. You can take that however you want.” Moreover, while most big companies (and many small ones) have a formal policy such as you describe, not all references abide by it. Heidi Allison, president of reference checking firm Allison & Taylor, says about half the calls her staffers make turn up unexpected trouble.
http://archive.fortune.com/2009/12/16/news/economy/jobs_references.fortune/index.htm
When Employers Won’t Provide References
The Wall Street Journal-Career Journal
By: Elizabeth Garone
Published: July 6, 2009
I have gone to two temp agencies, and they had to drop me from jobs because I had only one reference.
Once you leave, Mr. Shane recommends contacting your former supervisors periodically and updating them on your career and asking them to continue being a reference for you. “Thank them for their time and acknowledge them with a personal thank-you letter or email,” he says. “This simple etiquette will be one of the best investments you can make.”
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124527125517424519
The Care & Feeding of References
The New York Times
By: Phyllis Korkki
Published: September 2, 2007
Some people are so perplexed over their inability to get a job that they hire firms that promise to find out what their references are saying about them. And some references are saying some very negative things, said Heidi M. Allison, managing director of one such firm, Allison & Taylor, which also checks references for companies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/jobs/02career.html?_r=0
References: What is Your Former Employer Saying About You?
Today’s Work Place Blog
By: Paula Brantner
Published: March 4, 2004
When a former employee uses a previous employer as a reference, that employer has a number of options when it comes to responding to a potential new employer. An increasing number of employers, however, have adopted a policy of only verifying employment, with job title and dates of employment the only information that can be released about former employees.
http://www.todaysworkplace.org/2004/03/04/references-what-is-your-former-employer-saying-about-you/
Executive Life; When a Reference is a Tool for Snooping
The New York Times
By: Marci Alboher Nusbaum
Published: October 19, 2003
Growing numbers of job applicants are hiring companies to find out what their former employers are saying about them, employment lawyers say. Job seekers can use information from these companies to confront former employers or even to bolster legal action they may take after being let go.
Here’s what’s Working; checking your references
The New York Times
By: Michelle Cottle
Published: August 22, 1999
During a long job search — more than three years — I have suspected that one of my references is giving a poor recommendation of me to potential employers. Despite good qualifications and good interviews, I am rarely offered a position. After rejections, I often ask if my references might have affected the outcome, but I never hear any specifics.
http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/22/business/working-checking-out-your-references.html
Job Seekers Can Find Out What Former Bosses Are Saying
Dallas Morning News
By: Diana Kunde
Published: January 24, 1999
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-01-24/news/9901240245_1_reference-job-candidate-firm