Contributed article:
Career
Sabotage: The Influence of a Past Employer
The word was out
on Jim Walters. Someone was telling prospective
employers that they shouldn't hire him. It cost
him at least twelve top job offers, kept him
unemployed for over a year, and more than
$100,000 of his retirement fund.
Walters, not his
real name, has since found work, but two years
later he is still angry at his former boss for
nearly ruining his life. Walters was able to stop
his boss from spreading more lies, but he wonders
how many other job seekers are not so fortunate.
"For months I
suspected that my former boss was saying
something about me. The problem was I didn't know
what he was saying or how to prove it" said
Walters, a former General Manager for a
Manufacturing Company.
Job seekers can
now turn the tables on their former bosses. Many
are starting to check up on former bosses,
colleagues and even trusted friends, by using
professional reference checking firms. Let's face
it. Companies have been checking out potential
employees' backgrounds for years.
"When you get
right down to it, you just don't know for sure,
who you can trust. There is simply too much at
stake - your job, your income, your family's well
being - to chance it that your references are
positive and accurate" said Heidi M.
Allison, Managing Director of Allison &
Taylor, Inc., a professional reference checking
firm.
Allison &
Taylor, Inc. has been checking reference since
1984 for a variety of clients from nurses and
teachers to senior managers and even presidents
of companies. Allison & Taylor's clients also
include attorneys, professional recruiters and
companies who hire them to check out potential
employees.
Ms. Allison stated
that about half of the references they
investigate are mediocre to down right negative -
often to the surprise of the client. "People
they believe are giving them a good reference are
not" she said, "And just as many who
have assumed they are getting a bad reference are
not."
Allison &
Taylor, Inc. is up front with the people they
call to check a reference. "When we call a
reference we simply state that we are calling to
do an employment verification and reference check
on (name of client). Typically the reference
assumes we are considering hiring that individual
or we have been hired to check them out for a
company that is considering hiring them. No
matter what, we never disclosed who has actually
hired us to perform the reference check. This
allows our client complete confidentiality and
the ability to use our information in court
should the need arise" stated Ms. Allison.
It is not uncommon
for references to pass out inaccurate
information. Dates and title of employment, the
reason for the separation and salary information
are typically mistaken and unfortunately it is
assumed by potential employers that the job
seeker is lying.
Sometimes
information is subtle. For instance, if a
reference doesn't return two or three calls, that
raises a red flag. Innuendoes such as, "Are
you sure he listed me as a reference?" or
"Well, according to our agreement I can only
confirm that she worked here" offer
additional clues that things are just not right.
Ms. Allison has
also noticed that the higher the position, the
more freely references divulge damaging
information. "Clients often assume that
company policies to only confirm limited
information are strictly followed. I usually ask
them if they are in a hurry and don't see a
police officer if they tend to push the speed
limit. References are no different. If someone
really liked you and wants to help you land
another job, or if they had a problem with you
and don't want to see you working, they can and
will break company policy."
In a slight turn
of events, Ms. Allison stated that over the last
few years, her clients have used positive
references to assist them in their court cases.
"In the case of wrongful termination, a
positive reference can be used as support of
litigation. In fact, our clients have been
awarded settlements in excess of $1
million."
The purpose of
checking your references should not be to file a
lawsuit. However, a candidate does need to know
the quality of their references and whether
former employers are passing on personal
opinions, conjecture, rumors or accurate legal
facts.
HOW TO CHECK
YOUR OWN REFERENCES
A poor or even
luke warm reference can sometimes cost you the
job you want. If you are worried about what a
former boss will say to a prospective employer,
consider using a reference checking service as
seen in the Wall Street Journal. The industry's
leading and oldest reference checking firm,
Allison & Taylor, Inc. provides reference
checks for job seekers that range from $69 for
basic to $99 for executive level reports. In
business for 20 years, Allison & Taylor will
confidentially contact your references, inquiring
about performance - managerial skills, judgment,
integrity, productivity, technical skills - as
well as employment dates, job description and
reason for departure. Within an average of ten
days, you will have a complete dossier on your
reference, including how long it took for a
response, general tone and verbatim quotes. For
additional information on this crucial service,
call 248 651 9299 or visit their comprehensive
web site at www.allisontaylor.com
Written By:
Heidi M. Allison, Managing Director
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