When Providing References Is a Challenge

Most often, job seekers find themselves in a difficult position where for them to provide a reference becomes a real challenge. In some cases, the current employer of these job seekers may see them leaving the company as a sign of high treason, which for them is enough to make the lives of the employees miserable. For this reason, using your current employer as a reference could result in serious problem; hence, it requires you to be careful.

First of all, you should make it clear that your current manager and/or boss should not be contacted, during your interviews as well as on job applications. Even still, it is very unlikely that an interviewer contacts your current manager. This is simply not done this way, as everybody knows that checking on a current employer will always put the employee in a bad position.

It is best to select at least three references. One personal reference is also fine; however they do not hold much credibility. This is because most employers will be convinced that your personal references would most likely be your good friends and ally who would have no actual work experience with you.

You might want to consider people who have left your employer and are working with somebody else, while trying to search for references that are good and who knows your work well. It does not necessarily have to be your manager to speak about your work, work ethic, and your reputation. For this reason, you can turn towards your former coworkers from your previous employers. They may be with vendors, consultants, or contract workers, which you may have worked with. In addition, you can also have some associates from the volunteer work you have done, who have seen you in action. Still, if you are coming up short, you can simply explain that most of your previous employers as well as coworkers are unreachable.

In case, the interviewer makes you an offer; however, he or she insist to have a current reference, it is better that you consider using a coworker who you can easily trust. This is because; at this point it will not make much of a difference, because the news is going to leak out soon in any case. Even then they pressure you for the name of your current manager, you can reply by telling that he is one of the reason you are trying to leave your current job and he (your current employer) have been very vindictive to people who have left in the past. You can further add-on, suggesting to your interviewer to go over your past performance reviews, from which they will be able to see your excellent work performance and work habits, rather than calling your manager.

Chances are that if you have overwhelmed your interviewer during your interview, they hear good reviews about you from some other people and go through your documentation having excellent work performance, they will be satisfied enough to give you your dream job.

Bryan Goldberg is a professional writer who has helped numerous applicants with their resumes, CVs and cover letters. He is a regular contributor to online article directories for instructional articles about resume, CV and cover letter writing.

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