So I recently applied for another job and already went through two interviews with them. Now they’ve said they’re winding down the selection process and just need a few references, ideally from two supervisors and one coworker.
Here’s the problem: I can’t provide any supervisors from my current job for obvious reasons, and the ones from my previous job (two years ago) have either left, or I can’t get a hold of them.
So what do I do? I can provide two references as is, both coworkers. Can I explain this to them?
You say “for obvious reasons.” If you leave, will it be contentious? Will your supervisors be unwilling to provide references for you, or does company policy prohibit them from doing it?
Sorry, should have clarified. I’m applying for a near-identical position at a competitor. I can’t use my current supervisors (where I’m still actively working) as they’ll undoubtedly terminate me on the spot.
You can explain it - you can also see if you can’t track down your former supervisors quickly - the internet is a great thing and LinkedIn has a ton of members.
I have been in more or less your same situation and have offered to provide personal rather than professional references. Just make sure the personal references are not your cousin or sister, but rather other professionals. Vendors you may have worked with are not a bad choice.
Well, personal references should be able to be contacted, but professional references you just put their contact information as accurate as it was when you were professionally associated with them. Your employer should be perfectly capable of understanding someone say “Ms. Jones left us three years ago.”
I’m in something of the same boat. My previous company folded operations and laid everyone off, I’m still a name in the database of the company that bought them out, but otherwise no one works there that ever knew me.
My current company (by union contract rules and litigation-sensitive HR policy) prohibits any references beyond “Yes he/she does/did work here.” It has to be said directly by the HR person also, the managers or coworkers are prohibited from communicating.
Anyone under NDAs or competition-sensitive agreements can also have similar restrictions.
Depending upon your field, more companies are starting to recognize this as a standard practice, and accept personal references when the situation is explained.
There are some really good “work ethic” references that can be used…
Be a part-time volunteer for some random gig every now and then. They make a great reference.
Cultivate relationships with any vendors or external companies you may work with. Even a customer is fair game.
It’s okay though, as it doesn’t much matter, because as it turns out, I was able to get a hold of at least one previous supervisor – woo! So I have him, plus a couple of coworkers. Hopefully that’s sufficent.
I am going to put on my Career Counselor hat now and remind people to always try to keep in touch with former supervisors/coworkers/etc whom you may want to use as references. There’s something pretty off-putting about, “I know I haven’t spoken to you in three years, but I just applied for this job and…” Check in once in a while, inform them about your career development, ask after theirs. Really, if you haven’t spoken to them in years, do they even know what you are looking for in a new job and what your current level of skill is?
