Want To Survive A Bad Reference?

"You can't… always get …what you wa-ant" goes that familiar melodious refrain. And when the sun doesn't shine on your job search references, the chill of your search mission can be veritably frosty.

But, let me start at a more logical beginning. Your references function as an objective third-party opinion of you. It is meant to be a way for interviewers to have a good view of your "employability". If you're sniffing out your next job, you know that references are vital to your resume. If you left your previous job under less than wonderful circumstances between you and your boss or had a bad academic report, it is important to know how a bad reference (written or verbal) can affect your job application process and how to manage this potentially sticky situation.

The Professional Reference
If you have a previous employer that might give you a bad reference, you probably know who it is. The good thing about the scenario is that you should be able to make a good guess at what he/she might say - whether you were fired or quit because of various reasons. Knowing where your problem areas were (if they are reflected in your resume and references) is the first step in responding to them.


For example, if you quit or were fired from your last job in your current field due to a personality conflict with your employer/supervisor, approach it from a neutral and positive angle. You can explain in your first interview (if they bring it up) that the problem wasn't one of your competency but working style. You can say that despite your best attempts to make things work, sometimes certain people are just unable to work effectively together. There are many different styles of doing things that are not always compatible.

Luckily most Employers and HR Managers will generally only answer factual reference questions that refer to data like date of hire/title/Job duties/date of termination. Most employers would not bother with opening up a can of worms to undo the reputation of a previous employee. Furthermore, your prospective employer knows you are switching jobs, so, logically, the previous job could not have been the best fit.

So just be positive and focus on the tasks you have accomplished and the valuable experience gained at your previous job, while pointing to the competencies you developed at other jobs where you have more positive references.

Reference Ala' Academia
In the academic arena on the other hand, if you did not manage to produce very good results in your academic exams, explain to the interviewer what other positive circumstances might have influenced the result. For example, at an interview after graduating, the interviewer peered over at me to ask why my final year results were not in Grade 1 as in my previous two years. I told him frankly that I spent a lot of time diving into many extra-curricular activities that helped me develop valuable leadership and management skills. This meant that I had less time to spend on studying, but I had obtained skills in many other areas, not only academically. (I swear though, it's true!) They thought this made me a stronger candidate, and I got the job!

If, of course, you did not do well but it was due to too much partying, do not lie. Interviewers have an uncanny ability to figure this out sooner or later. Instead, try to review the skills you can bring to the job and concentrate on how you would be able to contribute even with less than sterling qualifications. In the end, all interviewers want to know how you will perform in your new job and if you can convince them of that, you have a good chance.

Prepping Your Referees
Finally, always remember to inform your referees of the fact that they might be required to produce references to your interviewers at least 1-2 weeks in advance to prepare. Don't forget to send them copies of your most recent resume as well, so that they are able to remember the details of who you were, what you did and have the time to write up/prepare a good reference for you.

Preparation, preparation and more preparation is the way to go to ensure that your referees are able to present a good view of you, you are able to anticipate the possible reference-related questions being asked (especially bad ones ) and ultimately, that your value to the hiring party is enhanced!.

Of course, if you think that your past will seriously mess up your current job hunt, you might find it amusing to know that in the USA, a site called Myreferences.com helps people prepare themselves for the effects of bad references by calling up past employers and checking out what they say about you, both the good, bad, and the stuff in between! What will they think of next?

by Koon Mei Ching