Anyone act as their own Professional Reference? (collect, job interview, employers)

[Broncos Quarterback]

Originally Posted by Tober138

Back in line with the OP of this thread...if someone has been in the workforce for a significant amount of time and cannot line up even one good, solid reference, well...then maybe there is a reason they are out of work to begin with.

I agree, but what about a situation where someone just graduated from college and has had only 2 jobs, one where he did a good job for several yrs and can get a good reference and another one where the boss just didn't like him and won't give a good reference?

Companies ask for multiple references. So this guy would be SOL being only able to get a good reference from one place.

Therefore, there are times where it would become a necessity.

[hnsq]

Originally Posted by Broncos Quarterback

I agree, but what about a situation where someone just graduated from college and has had only 2 jobs, one where he did a good job for several yrs and can get a good reference and another one where the boss just didn't like him and won't give a good reference?

Companies ask for multiple references. So this guy would be SOL being only able to get a good reference from one place.

Therefore, there are times where it would become a necessity.

Why couldn't that person think ahead and volunteer somewhere a few hours/week, or do a few freelance projects at night so that they had real references?

[Broncos Quarterback]

Originally Posted by hnsq

Why couldn't that person think ahead and volunteer somewhere a few hours/week, or do a few freelance projects at night so that they had real references?

I've only ever been asked for work references. Or at the very least, companies ask for multiple work references and then personal references.

[Mystique13]

Originally Posted by hnsq

So the Mother Teresa's of the world all have skeletons in the closet? What if some of us simply live as moral people?

Your argument is nothing more than what someone who is dishonest (and knows it) says to themselves to justify something they know to be wrong.

That's right. The Mother Teresa's DO have the the bigger skeletons than the rest of us. All one has to do to verify that is to watch Dateline or 20/20. And that doesn't include the liers and schemers in one's immediate proximity. I seriously don't give a hoot what you think of me, my argument, my "ethics," etc. etc. You don't pay my bills. I pay my bills. We all live by our own moral codes. You live by yours, but don't expect the rest of the world to live by your moral codes..or "Mother Teresa's." Each person has to follow the rules of life that work for them. Being creative with resumes, references and doing whatever one must to gain employment and put food on one's table is that person's business, not yours. Don't worry about what others do. They sure as heck don't care about you and your morals... "Mother Teresa." You and all your moral crusader buddies are living in La La Land. I'm still not finding the "Mother Teresa's" of this world who would hire the long term unemployed, feed them and provide housing options. People like this guy are hysterical.

[Mystique13]

I'd rather be "dishonest" "wrong" etc. but have a job, a place to live and food on my table.Anybody who disagrees with this is living in La La or is "the 1%". Someone should tell the truth or "be honest" and live in a tent to that the 1% or the moralists can be happy? That's some crazy BS...and you need meds.

[Mystique13]

Let's do a social experiment. Let's put all the Moral Crusaders on this forum in a tent city in the middle of nowhere and leave them stranded without a job for 2 years. Without their iphones, ipads, their so called social network sites, without their "organic food," and no "friends who can get me job" either. I want to see how many Moralists would consider faking references or using other creative tricks on their resumes. So where are the Mother Teresa's now? LOL.LOL. LMAO.

[mark55us]

I think what he did was a great idea. Employer recruiters in corporate america lie and play games as well. I think in todays world you will do what you have to do to get the job. In the end, It was a great strategy move on his part to help win the game!! Ethical, not at all!! If he gets busted that is a risk he took, however i think once hes in with company, I wouldnt worry about it to much. Like any job is going to bug your references for more information. Plus to many lawsuits where allot of companies dont disclose hardly any information.

[Tober138]

Originally Posted by hnsq

So the Mother Teresa's of the world all have skeletons in the closet? What if some of us simply live as moral people?

Your argument is nothing more than what someone who is dishonest (and knows it) says to themselves to justify something they know to be wrong.

hnsq - don't you know that if you do not agree with this poster's opinion on a given topic, then there must be something seriously wrong with you.

Originally Posted by Mystique13

You and all your moral crusader buddies are living in La La Land. I'm still not finding the "Mother Teresa's" of this world who would hire the long term unemployed, feed them and provide housing options. People like this guy are hysterical.

Ah, your usual response to anyone who has an opinion different from your own: berate them, make fun of them, call them names and infer that they are stupid. I will admit that it is an easy way to avoid any meaningful dialogue.

Originally Posted by Mystique13

Anybody who disagrees [with me]...is living in La La...and you need meds.

Like I said.

Originally Posted by Mystique13

I'd rather be "dishonest" "wrong" etc. but have a job, a place to live and food on my table.Anybody who disagrees with this is living in La La or is "the 1%".

Many people have all of those things and have achieved and maintained them without resorting to lying, cheating and being dishonest...the person who has to do those types of things to survive in the working world generally has to do so because they are not good enough to stand on their own merits. They are usually also the same people who blame everyone else for their current station in life.

[Tober138]

Originally Posted by Broncos Quarterback

I agree, but what about a situation where someone just graduated from college and has had only 2 jobs, one where he did a good job for several yrs and can get a good reference and another one where the boss just didn't like him and won't give a good reference?

Companies ask for multiple references. So this guy would be SOL being only able to get a good reference from one place.

Therefore, there are times where it would become a necessity.

If they had been at a job for several years one would hope they would have more than a single reference.

And I would think for someone relatively fresh out of college, they could go back to professors for references as well (if those professors are in the same field as the job being applied for, I would think they would carry some weight). That is what I recall doing back when I first started out. But then again, I entered the work-force out of school in the mid-90's so I will readily admit that, while I know things are different now for people starting out, my knowledge of entry-level job-searching in 2011 is not first-hand, so maybe I am off-base.

[LongtimeBravesFan]

There are two possibilities here.....

1. The OP was telling the truth about getting fired from his job with the dead guy who would bad mouth him. In that case, if he does good work with the new company, he should have no problems. He'd just better hope his new boss doesn't find out the reference died before he spoke with him.

2. The OP is lying through his teeth and the deceased was an angel to work for who fired the OP for stealing, drinking on the job and sleeping with his secretary. In that case, he's likely to repeat the actions and get fired again.

I have no way of knowing what really happened. But if #1 is the case, I don't blame him for doing what he did. I wouldn't be surprised if that happens a lot. Unethical? Yes, but he had to do it to get the job to support himself and his family.