Reference Issue

[fraymond]

I just received a full response in the post from a screening agency I wrote to requesting access to my reference checks under DPA Subject Access Request for a position I worked last year. Their response included all references they collected in the course of providing background checks.

[thelurker]

That role was a permy role (joined the dark side!) which I was made redundant for due to financial reasons.

I checked with new organisation and they said the reference given by the employer wasn't satisfactory.

**Update** New organisation have withdrawn the offer based on this reference!

If you were there for over a year, then what happened that they gave you a bad reference? Surely time in contract is a good indicator that they were happy with you and your work.

Are you sure that the reference was bad, or is it just that the new client was expecting more from the reference? If you are looking for a step up, then the new client may be looking for more in the reference than a standard "he was OK" line which is fairly neutral.

It could also be that the new client has found someone else and they just want to let you down by having you annoyed with someone else than with them.

Of course, in the future, you could always try the "it's against their company policy to give out references - I've tried in the past and their HR department just won't budge. Plus, I'm tied by an NDA so I can't reveal their name, but I can discuss in non-specific terms what I did for them. When would you like me to start?" line

[northernladuk]

That role was a permy role (joined the dark side!) which I was made redundant for due to financial reasons.

I checked with new organisation and they said the reference given by the employer wasn't satisfactory.

**Update** New organisation have withdrawn the offer based on this reference!

And you have absolutely no idea what it could be? None at all?

[thelurker]

If you were there for over a year, then what happened that they gave you a bad reference? Surely time in contract is a good indicator that they were happy with you and your work.

Are you sure that the reference was bad, or is it just that the new client was expecting more from the reference? If you are looking for a step up, then the new client may be looking for more in the reference than a standard "he was OK" line which is fairly neutral.

It could also be that the new client has found someone else and they just want to let you down by having you annoyed with someone else than with them.

Of course, in the future, you could always try the "it's against their company policy to give out references - I've tried in the past and their HR department just won't budge. Plus, I'm tied by an NDA so I can't reveal their name, but I can discuss in non-specific terms what I did for them. When would you like me to start?" line

And you have absolutely no idea what it could be? None at all?

I spoken with the manager who wrote the reference, who was vague on what they wrote but did say they didn't see some of the skills the new job asked for whilst I was there, which would make sense as it a slightly different role.

I have mad SAR to the "new employer" for reference provided.

As mentioned earlier, main concern is around other jobs i go for in future, I will no doubt get a similar reference, so is there legal recourse i can make to old employers to make them think twice?

Cheers

[SimonMac]

I spoken with the manager who wrote the reference, who was vague on what they wrote but did say they didn't see some of the skills the new job asked for whilst I was there, which would make sense as it a slightly different role.

I have mad SAR to the "new employer" for reference provided.

As mentioned earlier, main concern is around other jobs i go for in future, I will no doubt get a similar reference, so is there legal recourse i can make to old employers to make them think twice?

Cheers

So they wouldn't confirm skills that they didn't see you use, and you think this is unacceptable?!

[northernladuk]

What a sorry read this thread has become.....

[thelurker]

So they wouldn't confirm skills that they didn't see you use, and you think this is unacceptable?!

Thought there was a difference between saying you never seen such skills, (which maybe true as never needed to show them) to I don't think this person has such skills and is unsuited to this role?

Again without seeing full detail of reference I cannot say what was actually written, so will report back when I have more info.

Thanks