Reference requirements

[miss direct]

I've been provisionally offered a job, and now have lots of hoops to jump through. One of which is references. They want all references from the last two years - the problem is, I've been freelancing/self-employed and had some short contracts during that time. Am I really supposed to get references from every single project/student/work I've been involved in during that time?

They also want references for any time spent working with children - I'm old, and lots of my work with children was in other countries, prior to email and I have no idea how I would get references from those places. I also don't particularly want to bother 50+ people.

Just looking for any suggestions as to how I can get around this.

 

[Pickman's model]

Describe your difficulties and see what they say

 

[Petcha]

I'm also generally freelance. For those periods I just write 'Freelance'. They always understand.

Just write what you wrote above?

 

[Espresso]

It will be a bog standard letter, requesting all of those things. All you can do is explain why you've not got all of the things on the list.

 

[Pickman's model]

I've been provisionally offered a job, and now have lots of hoops to jump through. One of which is references. They want all references from the last two years - the problem is, I've been freelancing/self-employed and had some short contracts during that time. Am I seriously supposed to get references from every single project/student/work I've been involved in during that time?

They also want references for any time spent working with children - I'm 38 years old FFS - lots of my work with children was in other countries, prior to email and I have no idea how I would get references from those places. I also don't particularly want to bother 50+ people.

Just looking for any suggestions as to how I can get around this.

They want all refs from past two years - which jobs have you done that have been substantial enough or complex enough to merit a reference?

With the children think of the longest contact you've had and get a ref from that. But contact them and tell them because you want that job and you don't want to bury them in references

 

[danny la rouge]

I'm 38 years old FFS

Just write what you wrote above?

Yeah, but write “for fuck sake” in full.

Seriously, though, a representative sample and an explanation why it isn’t fully comprehensive should be acceptable.

 

[StoneRoad]

hmmm, I doubt a prospective employer really has the time to plough through lots of references.
As suggested, ask them what they actually want ...

Personally, I would pick one or two "professional" referees - recent ones that seem closest to what you would be doing in this post.
and then a couple of "personal character" references that can cover more general aspects ...

Bear in mind, though, that a lot of employers these days will do little more than confirm facts such as dates of employment.

 

[Petcha]

It's also possible they're just ticking the boxes and the people asking you probably faced the same problem when they got their jobs there so will understand. So, just honesty.

 

[bellaozzydog]

Invoice them for your time pursuing their requests

 

[SpookyFrank]

I'll happily offer my services as a bogus referee, just give me a heads up in advance and let me know the exact nature of bullshit you require.

 

[miss direct]

If it was a permanent job, I wouldn't mind so much

References are so tiresome.

 

[bellaozzydog]

My colleague up for a big job and put me as a referee and I got an unsolicited call in the bath from his potential future employer (oxford university)

I pointed out I was wallowing in my own filth and we cracked the discussion quite positively

Just WhatsApp’d him to see if he got it....

 

[Sue]

Good news!

Have any of your freelance things been through an agency? If so, give the agent details -- might reduce the number of people you need to add, it's not annoying proper people and let them do some work for once...

 

[miss direct]

No, no agency, just me. I also teach private students (and the job is related) - could I put down one of my students, perhaps?

 

[bellaozzydog]

My colleague up for a big job and put me as a referee and I got an unsolicited call in the bath from his potential future employer (oxford university)

I pointed out I was wallowing in my own filth and we cracked the discussion quite positively

Just WhatsApp’d him to see if he got it....

I’m fucking having that

 

[pseudonarcissus]

Yeah, but write “for fuck sake” in full.

Should it not be “for fuck’s sake”?
Sorry for the derail, but gramatical correctness is important, I feel.

I’d fire off emails to any places big enough to have an HR department, the most you need is confirmation of dates of contracts. A response saying it’s company policy not to provide references would excuse missing ones. I wouldn’t have thought they’d expect anything from individual line mangers, that would come under personal references.

 

[danny la rouge]

Should it not be “for fuck’s sake”?
Sorry for the derail, but gramatical correctness is important, I feel.

I’m never sure. I’m not sure that’s right either. I’d like Fuck to be a proper noun in that case.

 

[platinumsage]

Should it not be “for fuck’s sake”?
Sorry for the derail, but gramatical correctness is important, I feel.

It’s for fucks’ sake, as in the sake of all the fucks you do (or don’t) give.

 

[The39thStep]

I'll happily offer my services as a bogus referee, just give me a heads up in advance and let me know the exact nature of bullshit you require.

This prompted me to remember being asked for a reference which I did but for a ‘laugh’ I sent the person who requested it a bogus one which mentioned ‘ aside from his chronic alcohol problems and minor cases of petty theft ‘ . He went absolutely apeshit threatening me on the phone and hung up. After an hour I had to explain that it was a prank and sent him the real one which was really positive. He never saw the intended funny side and we were never that friendly after that which I still regret .

 

[pseudonarcissus]

It’s for fucks’ sake, as in the sake of all the fucks you do (or don’t) give.

thank you for that clarification

 

[miss direct]

Thanks for all the comments. I came up with three people to give me a reference for the last three years, and the recruiter said that should be ok. I ignored the part about everything I've ever done related to children. I'm already having to go through background screening/list 99/enhanced DBS so surely that's enough? !

 

[romeo2001]

Thanks for all the comments. I came up with three people to give me a reference for the last three years, and the recruiter said that should be ok. I ignored the part about everything I've ever done related to children. I'm already having to go through background screening/list 99/enhanced DBS so surely that's enough? !

Sure Ive read its a requirement of the dbs that theres 2 references on file that cover the last 2 years? I know there was a huge issue with my employment starting cos one employer - out of 2- refused to supply a reference. Though care work is definitely pushed as a route out of long term unemployment by the job centre so there must be ways around it...

 

[miss direct]

I already have an enhanced DBS and am on the update service but they insist on having a new DBS check, so maybe. Such a massive faff.

 

[StoneRoad]

If you already have the current enhanced DBS on the update subscription, then what in creation are they actually on about ?
The idea of having that, surely, is to stop clogging up the system with repeated and unnecessary background checks !

[My OH had a real problem with that update service a few years ago - something to do with the card payments not going through, the bank changed a card after one was lost/stolen/strayed and although OH changed the details to the new account, and the system accepted it. DBS still tried to take the ££ from the old, wrong a/c and then suspended him for non-payment. That took months to sort out and stopped him working officially ...]

 

[miss direct]

If you already have the current enhanced DBS on the update subscription, then what in creation are they actually on about ?
The idea of having that, surely, is to stop clogging up the system with repeated and unnecessary background checks !

No idea... I queried it and was told 1 its their policy and 2 it covers the time between my last DBS (is that not the entire point of the update service? But hey its all public money, so who cares...)

 

[A380]

Most public sector organisations will now only provide a reference that gives dates of employment.