Looks like I may have a new job offer in the post. The new company have emailed me to say that the paperwork will be out tonight and have asked me to email details of references to them one of which should be my most recent employer. They want to contact my references via email or post tomorrow. Now there are a couple of things here I’d just like some advice on. Rather than my current manager, I’d like them to contact a previous one who left earlier this year. Can anyone see this being a problem? If they do insist on it being my current line manager, I’d rather they held off with the reference request until I hand in my notice which I’ll only get once I accept the role.

Sorry if any of this seems dumb but it’s been quite a while since I needed to go through the whole leaving the current job to go to a new one scenario. Advice gratefully appreciated.

I was recently asked for references and it had to be on headed notepaper. That might be a problem?

Phone them and ask/tell them?

When did you tell them you could start? They might be expecting you to have already handed notice in. IIRC your employer is only obliged to tell them things like sick days taken etc, which is why they’ll want your current boss’ details. They’ve no need for an actual ‘referance’ as they’ve already decided they want you and any pissed off former employer could* give you a nasty referance out of spite.

*not nay more, hence why most just give a HR style XX days sick, worked here YY years, diciplinary action for ZZZ. Thus avoiding legal action.

The only references they are legally allowed to ask for are simple criteria like “dates” and “position” and normally goes to someone whose in HR (or that capacity) anything else is a personal referance.

However you can qualify whatever you wish, inform ex Boss and pass details over, whether they take that is up to them.

Thanks tinas. As I said, it’s been a few years since I’ve been in this position.

Said the actress to the bishop.

Good luck!
If you get this job will you be at home more often?

That’s a pity, I enjoyed calling in on the way home.

Er, some terrible misinformation on here…..

They can ask who they want what they want, however they need your consent to do so. If they contact somebody without your consent then withdraw the offer on the info provided you would have a good case at tribunal.

Most companies just give basic factual info now, through fear of being sued because of subjective references. Not because of any specific piece of legislation.

So give the details of your HR department or former manager, as long as they are still within the company, if they are with another company then just give HR details.

Job offers are generally made subject to satisfactory references by the way, so don’t give notice yet if this is a concern.

Most companies just give basic factual info now, through fear of being sued because of subjective references.

This. We only give factual references, which are next to useless.