Asked for previous supervisors name (job offer, employee, apply, interview)

[jman07]

I had a phone interview and the interviewer asked me for my supervisors name at a previous company. Could I assume that she will try to contact this person if they think about hiring me without letting me know?

[Nell Plotts]

Possibly. I would reach out to that previous supervisor and let him/her know of the interviewer's question.

[HeadhunterPaul]

Originally Posted by jman07

I had a phone interview and the interviewer asked me for my supervisors name at a previous company. Could I assume that she will try to contact this person if they think about hiring me without letting me know?

Jman....Hello...


"... if they think about hiring me without letting me know?..."

You do realize that they '...won't let you know...' until after they speak with references because they don't want to announce their intentions and then have to retract if they don't like what your references say...?


Just checking.



Paul......

..

[LarkBea]

If they asked for a name, that person will likely be contacted unless you indicated otherwise. Whether or not they can actually say anything, positive or negative, is up to company policy. For example, it may be that any questions about a former employee must be handed off to HR.

[G-fused]

I think that’s a reasonable assumption.

[loves2read]

My husband's last employer was smaller, Independed oil and gas company in TX

Their policy was only to confirm dates of employment wo any reason for termination

My husband was in the business for over 45 years and many of the people who were hiring might know him personally and ask about someone
Sometimes he would act as personal reference depending on who had left the company and why...

Personally I would not be comfortable giving the name of my former supervisor if there is reason to think s/he would not provide an excellent reference....
And I don't think asking you for that info was the proper way to obtain employment info--
I think you were bullied just a bit because u probably felt you had to provide if u wanted the job offer

[Hemlock140]

As a hiring manager, if you used to work for me and someone called, I would say "let me transfer you to HR, they handle all employment verification." I would not make any kind of comment on your performance, whether or not
you worked for me, it's our policy. HR will give the dates of employment, title and salary only. On the other hand, if someone asks me to be a reference for them to get a job, I will expect it, and if I agreed, will speak freely. I recently had someone ask, and since my review would not have helped her, I declined.
She was a "not eligible for rehire."

[HeadhunterPaul]

Originally Posted by loves2read

And I don't think asking you for that info was the proper way to obtain employment info--

I think you were bullied just a bit because u probably felt you had to provide if u wanted the job offer

Hi, Loves....

I think I don't understand your position because getting/asking for references is standard practice.

Also, without any other information to add to my assessment, it seems like a positive thing that after one telephone interview, references would be asked for.

I think it was premature to ask until after the F2F but in any case, the Interviewer's asking for references would normally mean they are interested [so far] and want to gather data to confirm or add to what was said in the telephone interview.

It may have been irregular [to ask in advance of the F2F] but since references are going to be asked for, sooner or later, it coming sooner does not really matter plus, bottom line- you provide references when asked or don't bother to apply. Who doesn't know that?

Were it me, I'd want the employer/employer's rep to call my last supervisor.


Jman seems to be unfamiliar with the hiring process and may have been 'intimidated' but that is not the fault of the employer. I don't see it as 'being bullied' by having been asked for references.

This all assumes the person asking for references was working for the employer and not a 3rd party recruiter.

Considering the number of unqualified Interviewers out there, nothing about this surprises me and again, like I said, being asked for references can only help, assuming they are positive in nature.

I'll go a step further and say that generally speaking, it is entirely possible that talking to references prior to a F2F would give the Interviewer/HA additional material on which to base F2F interview questions.


An odd way of proceeding and a candidate/applicant unfamiliar with the hiring process; that's all I see here. It also appears that being asked for that supervisor's name caught the OP off guard but that is strictly the fault of the person being interviewed since most people know references will be asked for and know enough to have them ready.


No flags, yet...[again, in the absence of additional detail]



Thanks,



Paul........


...

[jman07]

Originally Posted by HeadhunterPaul

Jman....Hello...


"... if they think about hiring me without letting me know?..."

You do realize that they '...won't let you know...' until after they speak with references because they don't want to announce their intentions and then have to retract if they don't like what your references say...?


Just checking.



Paul......

..

You do realize that this is not how reference checking is done. The interviewer directly asks for references and contact information and lets you know that they are going to call them. They don't try to be slick and just ask for your former supervisors name without letting you know they are going to try to dig up their info and call them. There are never any "retraction" issues because employers are always upfront about the process.

[HeadhunterPaul]

a

Originally Posted by jman07

You do realize that this is not how reference checking is done. The interviewer directly asks for references and contact information and lets you know that they are going to call them. They don't try to be slick and just ask for your former supervisors name without letting you know they are going to try to dig up their info and call them. There are never any "retraction" issues because employers are always upfront about the process.

J, Hello.....

Yes, I do 'realize' how reference checking is done and you have now experienced one of them.

If this is so bothersome to you, why did you not decline giving references until they are either formally asked for or you had been given a F2F, first?

You made your bed and the horses have already left the barn; criticizing the process won't make you any money and if you had a concern, it seems to me that during the phone interview would have been the time to mention it.


Second point first-

"Employers are always upfront...."

Key word being "always". I have a problem with that, especially after thirty years of executive search. Additionally, suggesting you know how "always" is defined, then that means you know the hiring process of all companies. You don't, therefore you don't know what is "always" done.


First point-

"...They don't try to be slick..."

In the first place, "slick" or not, asking for references -no matter how they are requested- generally means the Interviewer/HA is going to call your reference. What else would they be doing with the information?

Secondly, "slick" is a characterization. It could turn out that is the person's style and does not consider how what s/he did can be considered as anything but obvious in its intent. It's obvious to me, especially with those thirty years experience I keep mentioning.

Presumably, you had done your preparation and had your references all lined up. If s/he 'caught you off guard', then you were not prepared. It doesn't matter how you were asked as long as s/he was not rude and even then, however the Interviewer asks is not, as I've said here at here before at C-D, necessarily a representation of anyone else or anyone else's style at that company.

Thirdly- "slick"? So what? How does that change or affect anything?

Anyone interviewing ought to have references ready. The Interviewer asked for them, you gave them to her/him.

Getting hung up on this is not productive. You can note this as part of the interview experience but unless this 'style' is repeated by others during the interview process, there is nothing more to comment on.


I've been told here I am 'just naturally' on the side of the Employer [because I'm in the Search business and am paid by employers] but honestly, there are a million permutations to what goes on in the hiring process and this is just one of them. Since being focused on the end goal is what gets me paid, it seems that being focused on your end goal is where you ought to be spending your time and energy so you get hired or have the option of declining an Offer.

There are a lot of people out there who interviewed and did not get asked for references, were not made an Offer and were not hired.

So far, you are ten times better off than that.


I know from being here off and on for a while, this forum is also used for venting.

So even if I were inclined to say, "Gee! That was rude!", nothing changes. There are no actions you can take that will improve your odds of getting an Offer until you are in the interview. Nothing has 'gone wrong'......you were asked for a reference and you gave one. Presumably, you were prepared for that eventuality and if not, then that is where the lesson lies.


You still have a job to do and need to keep your eye on the ball.


Interview and get hired/get an Offer- those are your priorities.





Paul......

....