Job References......Company Closed (employees, interview, application, unemployment)

[LoveBoating]

I have worked for four company's in last 14 years, the last company for 4 1/2 years. Other than the last company, the other three closed their doors about a year after I left (laid off/quit). Since it was a year after I left each, I do not have any kind of Recommendation Letter from any of the three closed company's. "Closed Down" also means......no phone numbers/contacts. Heck, I don't even know where any of my old supervisors are at! At least I have one "still open" company that I can use for a reference, but HR's like to have something from a previous employer to verify dates and job description.
Does/has anyone else had this problem and what did you do??? My outlook on it, "if the company is closed, it's closed and I won't have a reference for it....period!"
Any recommendations??

[bibit612]

What type of work did you do? If it involved customers, you could probably have them weigh in on your work. Vendors might be a good source of recommendations as well.

[Sgoldie]

If you think that's bad try sending a resume where everyone you had previously worked with was dead, and the only living one was yourself (self-employed).

Basically, I've given up. Time to think up a new business.

[missannie]

I worked at a company 12 years ago that is now closed,but is needed for my resume...I just explain it and I still got the last job I interviewed for anyway.

[LoveBoating]

First of all, my mistake: I worked for three company's in last 14 years and two had closed. My last company is still 100% open.
One company (closed): Purchasing Assistant. Owner sold company less than a year after I left. Three months after I left, I paid a visit and found out that my manager had quit a month before and some other employees that I knew had also quit. Was a little shocked, but didn't really think much about it. Six months later, paid another visit and found the doors locked, company sign down and building empty. Found out later that the business was sold and moved out of the State.
Other company (closed): Office Assistant. Owner fell and injured her back. Had to have surgery and that resulted in her selling the small company/store. Didn't even think about asking her for a letter. It is now medically impossible for her to do anything anymore.
Last company worked for (open): Materials Coordinator (Purchasing/Inventory Control) Have no problem with references from them. Other than, my direct supervisor and I didn't really get along to good during the 4 1/2 year period of time I worked for him. But, at least the company IS open with a good address and phone number.

Originally Posted by bibit612

What type of work did you do? If it involved customers, you could probably have them weigh in on your work. Vendors might be a good source of recommendations as well.

[Donna7]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

I have worked for four company's in last 14 years, the last company for 4 1/2 years. Other than the last company, the other three closed their doors about a year after I left (laid off/quit). Since it was a year after I left each, I do not have any kind of Recommendation Letter from any of the three closed company's. "Closed Down" also means......no phone numbers/contacts. Heck, I don't even know where any of my old supervisors are at! At least I have one "still open" company that I can use for a reference, but HR's like to have something from a previous employer to verify dates and job description.
Does/has anyone else had this problem and what did you do??? My outlook on it, "if the company is closed, it's closed and I won't have a reference for it....period!"
Any recommendations??

If you worked at each of those four companies for a significant period of time, I would put it down. Put down whoever was in charge at the time, and if they are no longer there, or the company is no longer there, then that's how it is. You can't change that.

[LoveBoating]

I guess it is just up to the company a person applies to if they see "closed...no phone available" on an application to if they truly believe what is written on the application/resume'. I guess, if you don't hear from the company after a phone (or in-person) interview, they didn't like something about the person or the resume'.

Originally Posted by missannie

I worked at a company 12 years ago that is now closed,but is needed for my resume...I just explain it and I still got the last job I interviewed for anyway.

[LoveBoating]

That is the way my resume' is now and the way I fill out an application. If a Manager/HR doesn't like it, I can do nothing about it. Some people have the luck of company's staying open forever, while other company's do close/sell out.

Originally Posted by Donna7

If you worked at each of those four companies for a significant period of time, I would put it down. Put down whoever was in charge at the time, and if they are no longer there, or the company is no longer there, then that's how it is. You can't change that.

[bibit612]

LoveBoating - having it closed is not a problem. They just want to establish where you were employed, identify gaps possibly, and match what you state on your resume to reality and not necessarily getting references from them. One of my employers got bought out by another bank,which then got bought out by another bank. The legal entity no longer exists. If they check your SSN against unemployment records, all companies that you worked for will show up there (regardless of which state you were in) so you would have to disclose all of your employment anyway. Since you were in procurement, perhaps you could approach a satisfied vendor and use him as a reference to discuss your work ethics, honesty, integrity, responsiveness, etc. etc. all of which I'm sure you were!

Best of luck!

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by bibit612

LoveBoating - having it closed is not a problem. They just want to establish where you were employed, identify gaps possibly, and match what you state on your resume to reality and not necessarily getting references from them. One of my employers got bought out by another bank,which then got bought out by another bank. The legal entity no longer exists. If they check your SSN against unemployment records, all companies that you worked for will show up there (regardless of which state you were in) so you would have to disclose all of your employment anyway. Since you were in procurement, perhaps you could approach a satisfied vendor and use him as a reference to discuss your work ethics, honesty, integrity, responsiveness, etc. etc. all of which I'm sure you were!

Best of luck!

Just what I was thinking - if they want to use your SSN to check out the validity of your past employment - they can verify using that method. I think they would simply want to see that you progressed and were consistently employed. At least that would be my thought if I were to interview someone and see a resume w/ your work history.

I have had the same situation. Fortunately, other employees who worked w/ me had stayed in touch, so I did have their contact info in case someone wanted to check w/ those former employees. I think Bibit's suggestion about vendors could be helpful, as well (if you can locate any of those employees!)

Not your fault businesses closed, merged or were bought out and changed identities. Just proceed as you outlined, put down your info and see how that works out. I suspect anyone who has worked for 20 or more years has surely encountered such circumstances - if not in their own career, surely in a family member's or friend's.

Good luck!!!!