How do you get a reference from your current boss?

Answer 1

References from Your Boss

Wiki s contributors share their ideas:

• Over the course of time, express your interest in a new career that doesn't resemble your current profession in any way. Such as, "I've always wanted to be in ... whatever". If you have been working hard, your boss will want what's best for you. Just be prepared to smudge the truth as to where you want to move into, so your boss doesn't see it as anything she can compete with and try to keep you. If you make your desire too off the wall, that letter of recommendation might mention that career specifically and ruin it from the start. You might also try stating you would like to move to another city (another non-competitive move) and could really use the referral. Make up whatever story you need after that. If your boss was truly that understanding in the first place, she would understand her company is holding you back and wouldn't be offended that you needed to leave. So don't feel guilty.
• Consider getting references from friendly coworkers, clients, vendors, etc. instead. These can be just as useful as references from your boss, without tipping your hand before you are ready.
• I always ask for references from whoever I am working for at salary review times, telling them it's just for my files, in a work review/their satisfaction format. I might get a few references from the same boss over the course of the years and just keep it in my file. If you make it a habit to ask for it every 6 months or a year, they'll get used to it and gladly hand 1 over.
• You don't, unless you employer already knows you will be leaving. Generally speaking, when applying for a job/posting a resume you already know that they will want references ... so "references available on request" is always safe to put on a resume.

  Now, having said that, it is a good idea to have specific people in mind who you would like to use as references. If they're colleagues/teachers etc., meaning not someone directly above you, then you can give them a heads up or (as many prefer) ask them outright if it is OK that you use them as a reference. Of course this will depend on whether or not you want anyone to know that you're considering moving on from your present job.

  What kind of job you're applying for also influences what kind of references you'll need/be able to use. If the prospective employer does not specifically ask for your direct supervisor or someone in a similar position, give them the name and number of your HR representative.

  Increasingly, over the last several years, many employers when providing references WILL NOT give detailed references. By detailed, I mean things like: he/she was hard to get along with, they dressed inappropriately etc. This is because that kind of thing amounts to (and really is) more of a subjective opinion, which can as far as the company's concerned lead to litigation. So in an effort to not say anything that even sounds less than stellar, whether true or not, companies have taken to saying nothing at all. They will only give you the "facts" or maybe the minimum info the person is seeking. The motto here is "less is less". The less we say, the less chance there is we'll be misunderstood, the less chance we'll be sued.

  Why should I as an employer say "Jane was constantly late & frequently called in sick" when I can use the employee's own timesheets, records etc., to "crunch the numbers", give you the stats, and allow you to deduce the same thing on your own? If I don't say anything, then not only can you not read between the lines and misunderstand me, but if the employee comes back to me (the boss) and says "why did you tell company x that?" The proof, as they say, will be in the pudding. I can pull out the facts (timesheets etc) and they can see for themselves exactly what I showed/or used when speaking with company x: the cold hard facts.

  Again, depending on the type of job/field you're seeking employment in, prospective employers generally want to know:

• a) Do you really work where you say you work?
• b) How long have you been there?
• c) your title etc.

  All of that kind of info they can get from HR without disturbing your boss and letting the cat out of the bag early! HRs are not in the habit of hunting down bosses to let them know they've just given a reference on employee xyz. If they want it, they can get a more personal reference from your colleagues, since they probably will not get that kind of reference from your boss.

• I think you may be confusing a letter of recommendation and a reference. Prospective employers routinely call past employers for references. These are almost always either a)overwhelmingly positive or b) cautiously neutral, since some employees have successfully sued a past employer who gave a negative reference. Often the only information given in a reference is confirming your dates of employment and title.

  You may request that a current employer NOT be contacted for a reference, so they don't know you're looking.

  A letter of recommendation is usually a flattering written endorsement from a current or former employer. It's best to ask for these when something changes -- you get a promotion, your supervisor leaves the company, or you change jobs on good terms. Obviously, your employer knows you're looking for a new job when you ask for one. Be aware that some companies have a policy NOT to give letters of recommendation to current employees. They fear -- correctly -- that if they have to fire the employee for any reason,the letter of recommendation will be used in a lawsuit against them.

• Even though it varies from state to state, laws govern what a former employer can say. Most often to be on the safe side they state the time of employment (beginning to end). They can also answer "would you hire this person again?" A no answer will surely lay out all of the negative remarks they would want to say but are afraid to say.
• If you left voluntarily for conflicts (I.e. bullying), have a friend call into HR and verify what they are answering to these questions. Then you know what they are saying and if they are placing roadblocks in your way.