Your Ex-Boss Won’t Give You Good Reference? Here’s What to do

When you’re a capable and smart employee, several opportunities will knock on your door and sooner or later you will accept one of them. It’s very rare for a skilled employee to keep working at one firm if they feel they are not being treated justly in terms of position and pay.

In fact, according to reports, employees switch their jobs within 4.2 years on average. However, most employees say that they would like to stick to one employer, but have to quit due to several reasons that include poor work environment, lack of opportunities and work stress.

When you switch to a new job, you will need to submit a number of documents, including a reference or recommendation letter from your past employer. The purpose of this letter is to testify for your character, skills and experience.

While most employers will happily issue such a letter, given that you fit the bill, at times employers may decline to issue you a recommendation letter for no reason or may issue you a letter that does not speak very highly of your skills.

Firstly, remember that it is completely legal for bosses to give negative references and you cannot really take a legal action against them simply for sharing their opinion. Nonetheless, there are actions you can take to alleviate the problem and boost your chances of getting a new job.

How To Know If Your Ex-Boss Will Give A Good Reference Or Not?

 In most cases you will already be aware of what your boss actually thinks of you. You can judge this based on your experience of working with him or her.

It is important to let your boss know about your intention to quit so that it does not come as a surprise. Nobody likes to lose a skilled employee, and if it comes out of the blue, it can be a shocker.

If you believe that your performance wasn’t up to the mark then discuss it with your boss and know what they think about you.

However, sometimes, it may not be that easy. Some bosses can be stubborn and won’t listen to you.

In such situations, you can have a friend or colleague get in touch with your boss and ask about your performance and reference. This will help you determine what kind of a reference you will get from your boss.

Here’s what you can do if your ex-boss won’t give you a good reference:

Don’t Stick To Just One Reference

If you believe that you won’t be getting a good reference from your former boss, a good idea is to look for other potential references as well. These include former managers and team leaders. Talk to them and inquire if they can issue you a recommendation letter.

Submitting multiple references can be helpful; however be careful as some employers may not like to receive several references.

Be Upfront About Your Situation

If you are sure that you will receive bad references, you must be honest about it and discuss the situation with the hiring manager. Never make excuses and take full responsibility of your actions. Always speak with honesty during the interview and do not speak ill of your past employer.

Speaking negative about your previous company can leave a very negative image on the mind of the hiring manager and reduce your chances of getting the job.

The Verdict

The solution is to speak to your boss and try to convince them to write positive letters. Other than this, you can get references from other sources and make sure to be positive and honest about the whole issue.