Bad refrences

What can you do if you have worked for a big company for over two years however, due to the way certain things ended you can't really use them as a reference? What can you do in this situation, and can you ever be a network engineer again if you don't have a solid list of professional references?`

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Comments

NetworkingStudent

Most companies just call the companies on your application, and confirm if said person worked at the job in question from year xx- to year YY.

You should be able to get a job as Network Engineer.

NetworkNewb

I just wouldn't use anyone there that I didn't have a good relationship with as a reference.

When new employers contact your previous company to verify you worked there they are not gonna ask any specific questions about your performance or how well you got along with your manager. It would be a very short conversation between your new HR dept and your old HR dept.

paul78

I doubt you have anything to worry about.

If you work at a typical big company, references aren't usually provided - just confirmation that you worked there and the dates. And managers are usually not permitted to give references. For example, at a past employer, manager were not permitted to provide professional references on behalf of the company. So when I am asked to provide a reference - I only give references to people that I am willing to give a positive reference. And even when I do - because I cannot represent the company, the reference is a personal reference. But most HR people understand the big company policies and know how to ask the questions in the right way.

That said - there is such a thing as back-channel references. You would be surprised by who-knows-who. These are usually contacts to check out a candidate through personal contacts. Usually used for important hires and key positions. Just today - a professional acquaintance reached out to me seeking to check on someone their company was thinking of hiring and I happen to have a connection to the candidates' former employer.

OctalDump

As others have suggested, many companies don't give "references" in the sense "CiscoASA2202 was an excellent network engineer and we thoroughly recommend" or "CiscoASA2202 was terrible, the worst, absolutely terrible", since they have nothing to gain from the process but potentially open themselves to legal issues - eg if they recommend you and you turn out to be terrible, will the company that relied on the good recommendation sue, or if they give a bad review will that open them to accusation of defamation? There's no upside for them, really, and it could go bad either way.

The other things you can try, is to get a friend to call the former employer to find out what kind of recommendation they are giving. They just call pretending they are interested in hiring you, and ask if you worked there and what you were like and why you left.

Another option is to use a colleague or a different manager or someone else as your reference at that company, someone who you can trust not to bad mouth you.

EANx

One of the key questions asked of HR is "Is CiscoASA2202" eligible for rehire?"