May we contact your current employer - how to answer?

Anonymous

March 7,2024 at 7:27PM UTC

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May we contact your current employer - how to answer?

I'm looking for a new position, and never know what to put for this question when it comes up. I want to put no, because I have heard how my current employer talks about people that leave (always their fault, not because the company is chaos), and I think she would badmouth me if someone called to check references. I also think she would make my life more difficult if she knew I was looking for a new job. But, I worry that asking not to contact my current employer is a red flag - am I hiding poor performance or some other problem? Recruiters, hiring managers, folks on the other side of this question - what do you think when someone responds 'no' to 'may we contact your current employer'? How should I respond? I'd be happy to offer a coworker or two as a current reference, as well as past bosses, just not my current boss.

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AnonymousMarch 7,2024 at 7:47PM UTC
I have said no to that same question on my last interview due to the fact that I did not want my current employer to know I was looking for a new job. If they ask why I would just be prepard to explain why you said no.
AnonymousMarch 7,2024 at 8:12PM UTC
I would answer NO because you are currently employed.
AnonymousMarch 7,2024 at 9:19PM UTC
Not while still employed! That's a reasonable answer and if hiring manager has a fit, RUN from this opportunity!!!
AnonymousMarch 7,2024 at 10:20PM UTC
I doubt that any company would use this as a red flag. Most people don't want their employers to know that they are looking for another job, unless it is an internship, residency, or contract type job that has a specific end-date without a chance at becoming a permanent position.
Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career CoachMarch 8,2024 at 12:01PM UTC
this seems reasonable to me as you don't want your current employer to know you are looking to make a move until after you've received an offer.
AnonymousMarch 8,2024 at 1:28PM UTC
I put “no” and if we get to a stage in the process where it’s somehow necessary or more possible I can change. I don’t like giving out contact information for ANYONE before I know when and how they are going to be contacted.
rgstaffing@bellsouth.netMarch 8,2024 at 1:36PM UTC
The answer is a big no. My job search is confidential and i am happy to provide previous supervisors or a trusted co-worker but even that is risky. If you are currently employed, no one should ask for your current boss,
AnonymousMarch 8,2024 at 1:57PM UTC
I always say no until offer of employ- there is no reason for this until such happens - best of luck!
AnonymousMarch 8,2024 at 2:18PM UTC
I have always put no and have never been questioned. If I had been asked I would respond with I cannot predict how my current employer would react to knowing I’m in the market for a new opportunity.
As a hiring manager I knew that HR would ask that question but the answer was irrelevant to me. I would never want to compromise a candidate’s current job.
AnonymousMarch 8,2024 at 2:25PM UTC
I rather not, they don't know that I am looking for another professional challenge. And I want to keep it this way.
That is my answer in this case.
Peggie Arvidson * Career Consultant | Adoptee Advocate | RecruiterMarch 8,2024 at 2:46PM UTC
"You can absolutely reach out to them to verify my employment, AFTER we have agreed upon an offer" i.e., they can make your offer contingent upon completing a background check. (which is standard) No one has time or energy to check all references and history for every candidate until they are ready to draw up an offer.
AnonymousMarch 8,2024 at 5:27PM UTC
protect yourself from a toxic employer
AnonymousMarch 8,2024 at 6:19PM UTC
No is the response. You don't want to risk losing your job when you are looking for a new job. End of story. When you get an offer you can use a peer reference if you need to but most companies won't ask for this. Tune up the ones from the previous company instead and perhaps have a printed copy when interviewing to share if need be of accolades for your strong work ethic.
The only caveat is that some companies - especially larger ones do something called a backchannel reference. They contact people who you have not given them and ask about you without your knowledge. They usually look to see your connections on linkedin and go through it that way. Be careful of this action especially when dealing with bigger companies and ones in tech. It's prevalent there, I know as I worked at a company that actually had a team that did this internally, even at the first stages of interviews so as not to waste time. I quit because of that and I ran the recruiting team there so I felt it was so underhanded I would not be a part of it.
AnonymousMarch 9,2024 at 2:06PM UTC
No- unless they give you a conditional job offer, AND AFTER that offer you're given the change to let your current employer know about the other job. There is nothing to be gained by offering up references unless you have a written job offer contingent on a background check. Tell the company you're interviewing that if they want to verify you are employed, to contact The Work Number (they do not release anything other than the names of your employer(s) and dates of employment).
AnonymousMarch 11,2024 at 8:31PM UTC
OP here - thanks for all the great comments and advice. Really sounds like the overwhelming answer is I don't need to worry about saying 'no' in this instance.
I also appreciate the underlying take-away reminder, that a job interview and job search are as much about testing how much of a fit the company is for me as the company is testing how much I am a fit for them. If someone holds a reasonable request against a prospective employee, what other unreasonable expectations will they have? It can be so easy to slip into a scarcity mindset when applying for new jobs and take whatever's offered vs. whatever is best. Thanks everyone for taking one worry out of my job search process.