I don't want my current employer contacted? (employment, applying, application)

[kettleblack]

I submitted all my references with past employers...all these references will validate more than enough experience to validate my employment for this job.... My current job and its responsibilites is literally the exact same as my past....I dont want my current employer contacted...even if its just a call to HR as we are a really small company.....

Is it fair to think that my current employer wont be contacted?

[ASOT]

I think most employers recognize and respect confidentiality. Unless you're applying for a job that requires extensive background checks (federal government, public schools/academia) then I wouldn't worry about it.

[parttimetechie]

I think thats all up to you. If you put it on your references and said it was ok to contact them, then they are probably going to be contacted.

[kettleblack]

I did say "not to contact" but I am worried they come back to me and say they have to in order to hire me

[seain dublin]

If they can't understand why you wouldn't want your current employer contacted I would think twice about if I really wanted to work for them.

If you checked off not to contact I would hope they would honor that.

[Cleverbeetle98]

I don't ever list current employers as references (unless they know I'm moving...i.e for family reasons and the like).

Usually on applications when you have to list all of your past and current employment there is a place to check 'ok to contact employer'....that's where I check not to contact my current employer. But references are at your discrection, so just don't list your current employer in the references section.

[Hemlock140]

I would have said to list them, with a note "please do not contact."

Did you leave off that period of employment?

[kettleblack]

no I obviously included my current employer on the resume...but yes did check not to contact....I was just trying to access if contacting a current employer is common and if so how I would navigate the with my company....but it looks like typically current employers are not contacted so I will not have to face that....

[AnonChick]

To the poster who asked: The primary reason for -not- wanting a potential employer to contact a current employer, is because usually, the current employer doesn't know you're considering quitting your job.

In this kind of cut-throat employment environment, if a boss knew I was looking, he'd fire me before I had a chance to quit and replace me with any one of hundreds of others looking for a job. Yes, I'm happy to give my 2 weeks notice; however, employers don't live by the same code of honor. They won't give me 2 weeks notice to fire me. And I just can't afford to take that risk. And so - if I'm looking for another job, I'm not going to tip off my boss, by letting a potential employer call and ask about my employment there.

[MSchemist80]

Most places understand this and it is common business etiquette not to contact your current employer. There was a tread a while back about a few dopey employers who insisted on doing so but that is by far not the norm.