What affect can a former employee reference have on getting hired at a new job?

Question

I kinda left my old job without much notice and now I am really having trouble finding a new one. I hope I have not messed my life up for good by walking out the way I did. Is there a way to overcome this if it is the reason for me not finding work?

Answer 1

Don't use that job as a reference or say that you left that job due to personal reasons and check the box that says not to contact them.  Also, in Texas at least, I don't think previous employers can say anything "bad" about you.  They can say whether or not they would rehire you, though.

Answer 2

you can be like me and go on welfare because of no job references!  

Answer 3

You have to take a job where they don't require a ref or don't check and say they do (some), then work your way back up.  Having done this lots of times (as long as you aren't too old, over 45) you're looking at 100 aps to get 20 interviews 2 of which will offer you the job one of which you wouldn't ask your dog to do, take the other and kiss the guy's asss at the end it's worth it..

After that you are free and clear, you can even put the firm on your CV, no-one will check more than your last ref usually.

Answer 4

Just dont put the Job you left on your application. Then new employees can't contact them if they don't know about it. If they ask why there was a break in working, you can say your bf/gf or husband/wife was working at the time and you were being a housewife or house husband. GL! :)

Answer 5

By law the past employer is only supposed to limit him/herself to giving the folllowing info if contacted by potential new employers:

Employment Dates & Would you hire this person again (yes/no).

Unfortunately, it usually doesn't work that way because the employer needs to feel important or to get even with the employee who resigned.

My advice is to have a friend pose as a potential employer and have him/her call your old workplace to see what is being said.

If it is negative, contact your old employer directly and tell him/her that it is against the law to go beyond the scope of the above stated disclosure boundaries.

Good Luck.

Answer 6

If I hear something bad from you, Im not hiring you.  

Answer 7

Legally, they can't give you a bad reference or one that would cause you to lose the job you're applying for.  There have been many cases where people sued for being given a bad reference, and won.

If you have doubts, call your supervisor and ask if so little notice left a negative impact.

Answer 8

Tell any new employers that they can not contact them as a reference. On any applications put "ask for further details." Then explain your reasons (if good) that you walked out.  

Answer 9

It can make a lot of difference, especially when the employer is deciding between multiple potential employees. If they hear something bad about you from previous employer, then they'd pretty much drop you for other candidates.

What you can do is to get a colleague of yours from the previous employment to be your reference. Tell him/ her beforehand who will be calling, and what you'd like them to say. Needless to say, you have to be pretty tight with them to ask them this but it's certainly better than using your supervisor who probably wasn't very happy when you left.

Hope this helps!

Answer 10

This hurts lots sorry to say, Unless you had a darn good reason.Try to leave this job off you list

Answer 11

not sure

Answer 12

Here is somthing odd. I have had 12 jobs my whole life. I am 25 yrs old. Most of them where "teenager jobs". But I don't think I was ever honest on the part where it asked for name of manager and phone number. I always used fake information, and always got hired. I doubt they even checked! Only the jobs that mattered (my last two) are "important" jobs, and they did check. As far as I have heard, you former employer can tell the new employer your term of employment, how much you made, and if you quit, or where terminated, but not why.  

Answer 13

In my experience they only check the references if they have already mostly decided to hire you.  You need to get three references that can vouch for you.  If you are unsure about how a former boss will answer, then pick a former coworker that you can trust.  

Answer 14

Did you put down your previous work experience with the job you left on your resume? Do you know if the jobs you interviewed for definitely contacted your previous employer? I don't think it would necessarily affect your chances of getting a new job (unless your former boss said some negative things about you other than quitting without much notice.) A friend of mine quit on the spot once because of the working conditions, and she still put it on her resume. She did find a job, even though her former boss told her new potential boss about her quitting on the spot. But the work conditions were hazardous and potentially dangerous, so her new boss understood. Don't worry, there is still hope!

EDIT

I just wanted to add this for you from my personal life. I'm in college and I had a job before where my boss was scheduling me to work during my classes. I told her time and time again I was not available, but she was relentless and expected me to cut class to come to work. This was because of the fact that she herself had dropped out of college, so she didn't have any compassion for college students. Anyway, I eventually quit, because I told her school was more important to me than the job (I worked at a pharmacy) and I needed to focus on my classes. She wasn't too happy about it, but when my new employer called her, she told them that I was a hard worker who cared a lot about school and believed I would go very far with my education someday. In the end, my standing up to her about my classes helped, and she understood. So you never know. Good luck!

Answer 15

Sometimes how you leave makes all the difference....other times it does not count. We NEVER  want to burn the bridge that brought us over.