Working World

Dear Jewish Fairy Godmother,

I have been a finalist for two jobs in the past two months. The interviews go well but then I get dropped like a hot potato when they call my references. I had some issues with a former coworker, but my boss said good things about me. How can I get past whatever blackballing seems to be happening? —Paranoid

Dear Paranoid:

As the old saying goes, “Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean I don’t have enemies.” You need accurate information that’s hard to acquire, so you’ll have to approach from both sides.

Have a friend posing as a possible employer call each of your references. He should ask all the usual questions plus some obliquely leading ones to see if any of the folks who’d get a call are saying things you don’t want heard.

Then try to talk to your former boss. Don’t go in angry or argumentative. Aim for curious, confused and concerned. After the politeness, confront the difficulties with your former coworker directly. Say you were slammed, and you know you cannot change that, but all you want is to be happily settled in a new job. Make it to your former boss’s benefit to help you get settled and out of his life.

If you’re asked in an interview about why you left, imply that the issues were substantive, not stylistic or personal. Don’t be defensive. Act as though this was an anomaly in your work history. Be sincere and come across as a nice person who got hurt in office politics, nothing worse.

2 COMMENTS

• Genny Smith

  At least you know it might be because you have issues with your ex co-worker. For me, my ex company has some weirdest types of people and the worst type of manager and supervisor. They agreed to be my reference, then when actually called, they disappeared. Their being irresponsible has caused me losing offers. There is nothing I can do. There are not too many manager in a company for me to give out as a reference. But, new company just need to have it. What to do? I want to tell companies I do not wish to deal with my ex company's horrible management behaviors, so stop bringing their problems into my job search. My ex company does not represent me. I just can't understand why people can interview you with 7 people and then check all the background, education, employment and everything is fine. Just one reference would ruin it???????? So why don't they just hire my ex manager. She has done a great job ruining her existing company, that's why my ex company is facing financial problems and laying people off, she can do that to your company as well. She hired her lowly educated relative types of people to work in the company and all they did was harassing people.

  Nov 08, 2009

• Catherine Rhodes

  Despite what many people think, it is perfectly permissible, and in fact, ethical, for an employer to provide an honest reference to a future employer even if it is negative. What this person is encountering amounts to slander.

  May 27, 2009