I was contacted about a positon and had a call with the recruiter.

36 Comments

1. AnonymousDecember 21,2023 at 11:05PM UTC

   I would suggest answering no to the request to contact your previous employer. Normally it should not be a deal breaker. Be prepared to discuss why you did not want them to discuss with your prior employer in an interview. I would avoid stating you do not trust the prior employer or bad mouth them. I suggest stating something like: "I was a high performer and well liked among peers but my position was still eliminated. I did not feel comfortable with the prior company being contacted since I am not aware of the reasoning used for my dismissal." That shows that you are not bad-mouthing your prior company but still show concern about what the prior company may say.

2. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistDecember 22,2023 at 2:30AM UTC

   I would recommend you say no. I've been a recruiter for a long time and honestly, I've never once looked at this information.

   It just doesn't matter to me at the beginning of the process. It only matters if we're going to make you and offer - and these days, most companies use a third party background check company.

   So you will be asked to fill that info out again for the background check company. The last three companies I've worked for have only done employment verification - where they check the dates you worked there and your title. They don't contact your supervisor nor do they ask if you're eligible for rehire.

   If you answer no when they're running the background check, then they will not be able to verify your employment. Which could cause you issues. If you want to find out what the background check company will be looking for, if you get to that stage, the company we use has a toll free number for candidates to call - you could ask if they will just be doing employment verification. Then it wouldn't be an issue at all.

   GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!

3. AnonymousDecember 22,2023 at 4:56PM UTC

   do you not feel comfortable listing any of your previous supervisors or just the last one? If you had a role and multiple managers is there one that you could share? A few jobs back I had 4 different managers within an 18 month period 1) fired for sleeping with coworker on company dime 2) amazing human being and mentor but pushed out of company 3) meh and pushed out of company 4) laid me off falsely with cause but at direction of married CEO whom they were having an affair with so they could get me out of the way and replace me with my young temp employee that CEO also wanted to sleep with (don’t worry CEO was fired shortly after by the Board). Needless to say I only list the awesome mentor manager when asked for a supervisor’s contact.

4. Jonna Ferguson, ACCDecember 23,2023 at 1:37PM UTC

   Depending upon the size of the companies you used to work for, the standard protocol is to provide the phone number for your HR Dept. or HR representative, and based on legal requirements, they will confirm the dates of your employment with the company, nothing more. This should satisfy the company you're interviewing with from a job history perspective, but in addition, I recommend reaching out to three former leaders/professionals you've worked with who would be willing to provide written and verbal references from a skills and character perspective.

5. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netDecember 23,2023 at 2:00PM UTC

   I would say happy to provide on the interview. They don't need to check references before you go. Then I would give the name of someone in the company who will give you a good reference.

6. G C HesseDecember 24,2023 at 1:34PM UTC

   NEVER give out your references until after the interview . And never tell where you are currently employed!

   Headhunters get very demanding and I just push back on them.

   My references are people I trust and they use me as their reference list.

7. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistDecember 24,2023 at 11:40PM UTC

   YOU SAID: "And never tell where you are currently employed!"

   How are you constructing a resume and not saying where you work?

   This is one of the most important pieces of information on a resume and typically in the top 3 reasons many times that I move a candidate forward.

8. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netDecember 25,2023 at 7:33PM UTC

   It is very weird. I would never work with anyone who won't say where they are working. There is a problem there somewhere.

9. Joan ChappellDecember 25,2023 at 4:48PM UTC

   I disagree with not divulging where you currently work because it is part of your work history and will often provide important skill set information. I typically don't call former employers, even though there is a place for that on the application. Calling professional references is sort of a waste. Why would anyone use a reference that wouldn't provide anything but glowing words? I hire on 1) skill set and 2) fit. Anything else is frosting!

10. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netDecember 25,2023 at 7:28PM UTC

    I would never represent anyone who would not tell me where they are currently working. It is bizarre and tells me a whole lot about the person. Go find your own job.

11. AnonymousDecember 24,2023 at 2:00PM UTC

    References are checked upon acceptance of an offer. Asking

    to speak to anyone at your current company is really ignorant and weird. This would put you in a bad position in your current job! The protocol is that once you’re offered the job they can contact your current employer just to confirm employment. Most companies understand that it’s not legally smart to have do workers discuss other co workers with prospective employers as an agent of the company. You answer no. If questioned state it is the policy of your company not to allow this and you will give them the info remHR should the process move forward. The references you do give are trusted tried and true. Recruiters can be hazardous to your career if not managed properly

12. AnonymousDecember 24,2023 at 2:40PM UTC

    References are often checked between interview and offer. A background check may be done before or after the offer. A background check confirms education and any criminal record and depending on job, credit. References involve asking prior supervisor and colleagues about applicant’s skills and ability to perform the job. I need to know that before I issue an offer.

    I’d prefer to check references prior to the offer so we are not in the position of rescinding it.

13. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netDecember 25,2023 at 7:27PM UTC

    After they interview the candidate. Background checks are done after offer.

14. AnonymousDecember 26,2023 at 4:43PM UTC

    You do know that different organizations have different approaches, don't you? My last employer would do the background check when I was ready to make the offer, not after. I once had to move on from my preferred candidate because the background check showed she hadn't yet earned the degree she claimed she had. In fact, the degree was just a few months from complete. It was a shame, something she could have explained at the interview, but she didn't and both HR and my boss were not willing to overlook it. The good news for me was I didn't have to rescind an offer. But I did let her know. It felt awful, frankly.

15. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netDecember 25,2023 at 7:26PM UTC

    You do not need to go into a big long thing like this. If it is a recruiter, call the call the recruiter and ask or just put will provide at interview. And never give your current boss .Duh.

16. AnonymousDecember 26,2023 at 4:39PM UTC

    "Never give your current boss. Duh.?"-- Whether to provide your current boss is context dependent. Nothing "duh" about it. During my last search, my boss understood that I had no way to advance unless he left. He knew I was looking and understood and gave positive references.

    Now, I would never give the boss' info if you don't want them to know you are looking, which is usually risky, or if you're not sure they'd give you a glowing reference.

17. Bonnie Thuma HennDecember 24,2023 at 2:13PM UTC

    Saying no to this question is a red flag. If the form permits, say upon job offer, agree to contact. While during an interview, one should never smear a former employer, it is your time to frame positively any negative feedback past employers may share later. Keep it simple… always shine the light on your work and outcomes. When you take the high road, they will look poor if they do say something negative and you will have already discredited them. Good luck!

18. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistDecember 24,2023 at 11:38PM UTC

    Please provide citation for your claim that "Saying no to this question is a red flag."

19. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netDecember 25,2023 at 7:23PM UTC

    It is not a red flag at all. They don't need to check references before they see you. Say will discuss and provide upon interview.

20. Sue Gordon- retired Career CoachDecember 24,2023 at 2:33PM UTC

    It is OK to say no. I once was asked for 10 references including current supervisor, peers, direct reports! I said no. They acquiesced. In the end I pulled myself out of their process for a variety of reasons.

21. AnonymousDecember 24,2023 at 4:46PM UTC

    Give a general company phone number and reference department as the contact name. Most of these are looking for whether you will provide the info and not necessarily contact them directly.

22. L GreenDecember 24,2023 at 9:38PM UTC

    I never say yes to a prospective employer contacting a previous employer. You should some one as a Reference you can trust.

23. L GreenDecember 24,2023 at 9:39PM UTC

    I never say yes to a prospective employer contacting a previous employer. You should use some one as a Reference you can trust.

24. AnonymousDecember 25,2023 at 4:32AM UTC

    The last two companies I worked for never contacted my references.
    One company did specifically ask for them and still never called any of them.

    The company I’m at now had a box on their application that you could check to give permission for them to contact your current employer. I gave permission and gave contact info. They figured out through my background check that I worked where I said I had worked, and that I graduated where I said I had. That was good enough for them.

    I think it’s becoming more and more common to not to do formal reference checks.

25. Rosa E HearnDecember 25,2023 at 1:44PM UTC

    I would only provide this, if I didn't work there anymore, like a layoff. Otherwise I would leave it blank or just answer no.

26. Amy Carissa OliverDecember 25,2023 at 2:29PM UTC

    I always provide the HR contact and not the supervisor. Honestly, at most companies I worked for, my supervisor doesn't even work there anymore. Also, in a lot of states, and particularly the ones I have worked in, it is illegal for a company to divulge anything other than the fact I worked there and the dates, which is why I just use HR. If I had a great relationship with a supervisor or CEO, I put them in my professional reference section, thereby giving the recruiter the unspoken nod to ask whatever they want. At the stage I'm at in my career, I'm also often asked for peers and direct reports and I typically say no, unless I have already told these people they may be contacted or i tell the recruiter it's okay once I've been offered a position. You can fill out the application and then speak with the recruiter or headhunter. I was hunted for a CEO/ED role earlier this year and told the recruiting firm they could not for any reason contact my current employment in any fashion (toxic environment with a penchant for the dramatic) but I said, "I'll do you one better and give you all these people I've managed or worked for and you can ask them whatever you want." I even gave them the number of a former supervisor who was trying to rehire me. The point is, the application gives them a rule to follow and respect and you can explain or not later.

27. AnonymousDecember 26,2023 at 1:17PM UTC

    Great idea! So many job hunters feel discouraged and helpless when it comes to reference checks. Here you're controlling the process as best as possible so it works for not against you. As for the dreaded "backdoor reference check" if a potential employer does that you don't want to work there.

28. AnonymousDecember 25,2023 at 3:03PM UTC

    Tell them they can reach out after hiring and then only HR contact given. Many places do not allow references to be given out because of lawsuits of slander

29. AnonymousDecember 26,2023 at 1:22PM UTC

    You have to be careful about doing that. Some recruiters and potential employers ask/demand a name, say "And what do you think this manager/supervisor would say about you? Give the name of who managed or supervised you and let the employer piss them off by directing them to HR.

30. Peyton MeechDecember 26,2023 at 1:52PM UTC

    Hi anonymous, I personally would let them because if you say no that will look like your hiding something. They honestly may not even call them but even if they do I think everything will be perfectly fine.

31. AnonymousDecember 26,2023 at 4:57PM UTC

    I was wrongfully terminated from my last employer based job due to being disabled. I confided in the person that was assigned to me at the unemployment office to help me find a job that fit my skill set and would be more likely to provide me an accommodation for my multiple hidden disabilities. When I asked on how to deal with my situation what the person assigned to me at the unemployment office in my area suggested when asked about reason for leaving that I write I prefer to discuss in person and to put no you may not contact this employer. That way you can control he narrative and your former employer cannot go and bad mouth you.

32. AnonymousDecember 26,2023 at 5:08PM UTC

    In this situation you are the buyer. Decline to give them any of that information until after you have gone through the interview and determine your interest in their job and role.

    Once you get to the end of the process you can offer them selected references at that time. Tell them that until you mutually agree to hire each other you guard your references and don't want them to be contacted or looked up. (they will probably tell you they wont but I know of some situations where this is ignored.

    If this eliminates you from consideration then let them know you wish them well and remind them that you were not looking they picked you. (even if you are in an active search.

    On the application if you want to write something say will provide upon mutual interest at later date.

33. AnonymousDecember 27,2023 at 2:29AM UTC

    My last traditional employer no longer has an official HR person in the building, they just have a general 800 number to call and verify employment history for potential new employers.

34. AnonymousDecember 28,2023 at 5:21PM UTC

    Recruiter here...and one that sources candidates through sites such as LinkedIn. The recruiter is not going to care about references at this stage of the game--they are not going to waste their time calling to verify that stuff before every in-person interview--a recruiter's life is just too busy for that. I would personally leave it blank. If they say anything (doubtful) let them know you would provide that after a verbal offer. Whoever created that form just wanted to make sure that the info was there when they need it, instead of having to ask for it after.

    If they are reaching out to you, chances are they have not been able to find anyone by just posting the job. Sourced candidates end up being a lot more expensive (I have to entice you to leave your current role where you weren't exactly looking) than candidates that naturally apply. Don't be a jerk about it, but you have the upper hand in these situations. I HIGHLY doubt that by leaving that part of the form blank would mess up your chances on the in-person.

35. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netDecember 29,2023 at 8:13PM UTC

    As a recruiter--this is totally true. Sometimes I just shake my head....

36. AnonymousJanuary 1,2024 at 2:15PM UTC

    Provide list EXCEPT current employer. They want to see how confident you are. Tell them current employer at offer.

    If they complain (they won't), it's a toxic environment and move on