I have been job searching since Feb and my previous year of employers I can’t get recommendations because I’ve had to take them to court to get payment.

Anonymous

June 5,2023 at 3:58PM UTC

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I have been job searching since Feb and my previous year of employers I can’t get recommendations because I’ve had to take them to court to get payment. I’m trying to break into a new industry in which they are from. I also had a long sabbatical during Covid so I’m not sure what to do she. they ask for recommenders or if my previous unscrupulous employers are causing a done of issues. I’m getting interviews and moving to the presentation round, two jobs have been leading me on for 4 months for a different role they have yet to post. References is a challenge.

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AnonymousJune 5,2023 at 3:58PM UTC
Sorry for typos using my phone.
AnonymousJune 5,2023 at 11:08PM UTC
Do you have any other professional references (past employers or clients) that you can use? If you put your most recent employer on your resume, they can only ask for employment verification (proof of employment, dates of service, etc.) unless you explicitly permit them to ask for a reference, and the reference has to be a person, not "the company," but I get your point. You don't trust anyone there. If you do, I would have [a] frank discussion(s) with the person(s) you have allowed so they know it is legit when the company calls. This is true for anyone on your reference list.
Maggie StoneJune 7,2023 at 1:01AM UTC
Good point. Always give your references a heads up. I always email references any time I think references may be reaching out. Keep in touch with them and look for ways to return the favor or say thank you.
Rachel ScaerJune 6,2023 at 3:13PM UTC
Do you have any old co-workers you have a good relationship with. As long as they can speak to your work experience/ attitude, no one will care it's a not a supervisor or boss.
Maggie StoneJune 7,2023 at 12:56AM UTC
Agree. Time to get creative or look into the past. If they don’t specify that it must be a supervisor, I would be brainstorming previous coworkers or even people you have volunteered for/with on a project (e.g. you lead the booster club fundraiser). Sometimes, even non relatives could be used.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistJune 8,2023 at 3:06AM UTC
References may not even be an issue. Many companies are moving away from reference checks and do employment verification instead.
It's done electronically and companies confirm the dates you worked there and your title.
Lots of people have gaps from covid. If they ask for references, those are people you provide yourself - usually two or three. This is why it's a good idea to cultivate professional relationships with people you work with - try to have at least one person from each job you could use as a reference. They're typically looking for one or two peers and a boss if possible.
I hope you haven't paused your job search for positions that haven't been posted yet.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!
AnonymousJune 8,2023 at 6:41PM UTC
I’ve used the clients from my employment last year and my colleague from a job prior to Covid and the transition. My client references haven’t been very strong because they can’t really speak to transitioning work or my leadership effectively. I have prepped them with notes about the opportunity and the items to speak to.