Bad References
A reader wrote this about bad references, as Comments after one of our articles. The article was about a bad reference that a reader got which cost him work.
Interview in Sheffield
A large agency put me forward in Sheffield for work with a utility company.
The role was non technical and was simply for someone to write, execute scripts and log the results. I still have the job spec.
At interview, I virtually interviewed the interviewers and it was clear they didn’t really know what they wanted despite the clear job spec.
Line Manageress
One of the people interviewing me was to have been my line manageress but she couldn’t make it.
This was a trait I was to become very familiar with as she frequently disappeared when I got the role.
She had no idea what she wanted me to do so, frequently, I had to ask her what she wanted.
I couldn’t just get on with it because she didn’t or wouldn’t give me a remit.
Eventually the project was canned (which didn’t surprise me) and I went on to other things.
End of Contract Report
From time to time, other work with the same company came up and agents approached me but I never got an interview.
I eventually realised something was wrong and when the agent who originally got me the role contacted me again about returning I told them there was some problem.
Turns out this bitch of a woman (reading this Nina?) had given me a crap end of contract report saying I wasn’t technical enough, this for a non technical role don’t forget!
She gave me bad references.
Utility Company Contract
Despite very good reference before and since from other sites, the utility company won’t touch me because of an inaccurate ‘reference’ which I consider to be a tissue of lies.
To make matters worst there is nothing I can do because the agent wants to protect their interest (ha, ha, they lost their preferred supplier status recently) and the HR dept of the utility company will only go on the word of its managers’ references.
If other readers have experienced something similar, as regards bad references, let us know in the comments section below.
See Contractor Interview Technique – A Great One
Also, see A Bad Reference – How You Can Overcome Them.
To return 85% or more of your money read Offshore Umbrella Companies
A little bit of advice – be less shit next time and you might get a better reference, that is if you’re not already dead. Who the fuck uses manageress other than very old people. Twat