Getting a reference before handing notice in

[Capita]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 10 April 2012 at 17:38

[davepoth]

If you've accepted the offer you have to resign really, assuming you aren't intending to do both jobs.

-edit-

Being asked for a reference makes it plain you'll be leaving anyway.

[yardman]

Capita said:

......they just have a habit of turning rather unpleasant where I am once they know someone is leaving

I've been in a similar situation. My resignation wasn't acknowledge by the M.D. for two weeks whilst he sulked about it and ignored me. My request for a written reference was never fulfilled despite assurances it would be before I left.

However, as it seems with you, I expected this to occur and asked another more genuine senior staff member to provide a reference. Maybe something you could consider?

Stay professional, best of luck in the new role!

[Pothole]

You've been offered the job. You 'know' the references will be OK. Your current employer is not allowed to give you a negative reference.

Why are you dithering?

[mollymoo]

Pothole said:

You've been offered the job. You 'know' the references will be OK. Your current employer is not allowed to give you a negative reference.

It doesn't sound like this applies to the OP, but you absolutely can give a negative reference provided it's accurate. At our place if you've had a formal disciplinary against you it will go on your reference - the reference would say if you were dismissed, had unsatisfactory attendance or performance etc. You'd be opening yourself up to a world of st if you gave a negative reference without having being able to back it up though.

[Parsnip]

I resigned recently and was in the same situation - contacted a few managers in my old location for references before "officially" resigning, but there was maybe a one week period where I had resigned from one job and had not been officially given the next - didn't really see any other way to do it.

Personally, I had accepted the new job and passed the medical etc. and I didn't want to be going through the motions at the old job whilst hanging on for a reference.

IMO, getting a reference should go hand in hand with properly resigning and serving your notice (assuming you were halfway decent at your job )

[Mojooo]

Pothole said:

Your current employer is not allowed to give you a negative reference.

That doesn't happen in practice though....

[RichB]

Capita said:

...I just don't like the idea of letting them know I will be leaving before the email/letter of resignation is sent...

I trust you won't send an e-mail but will man-up and tell your boss personally either face to face if you work together or by phone if you're not in the same location.

[Xtype]

Is it acceptable to use home addresses for references? the reason being my line managers when I was in the Armed forces are no longer in the Armed forces and I cant track any of the more senior managers down who might still be serving. When I spoke to the Armed Forces personnel centre about an address I was given by the army to give to employers for references, I was told it was not a character reference but just to confirm dates of service, rank, job title and that my conduct was exelempary.

[RichB]

Capita said:

RichB said:

I trust you won't send an e-mail but will man-up and tell your boss personally either face to face if you work together or by phone if you're not in the same location.

RichB, if i worked with them on a daily basis (twice this year I have been at the office) I would tell them face to face. Phone call , email following on from phone call and hard copy in the post was they way I was going to play it.

Good stuff, so as I said then.

[mph1977]

Mojooo said:

Pothole said:

Your current employer is not allowed to give you a negative reference.

That doesn't happen in practice though....

Because your employer is allowed to give a negative reference as long as it is accurate, also what a reference does not say can be as telling as what it does say, it's when a negative reference is grossly subjective and or libellous it gets onto shaky grounds

if someone is consistantly late it's acceptable to put that they have poor timekeeping in reference, but to then go on and suggest why they are late unless it was proven in a discip or a court of law isn't ...

if you worked for a vast Multinational with exposure to the USA it would be normal to get a minimal reference probably done by HR to be signed by your former manager, where if you worked for a medium sized UK employer and your new employer got that they might be interested to know what wasn't being included