Comments on: Should You Provide an “Unintentional” Reference? http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/02/should-you-provide-an-unintentional-reference.html Hiring technical people and being hired can be difficult, no matter what the economy is doing. Use the tips here to hire better, or find a new job. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:38:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Ellen http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/02/should-you-provide-an-unintentional-reference.html#comment-1542 Ellen Mon, 25 Feb 2008 05:47:04 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/02/should-you-provide-an-unintentional-reference.html#comment-1542 Ten years is an "eternity" in life and in business making this a problem for the potential candidate as well as the unintentional reference [even if the reasons for their lack of excitement about reuniting with an old co-worker are more tangible than "not liking their perfume"]. Unless this former co-worker has done something grossly inappropriate [see http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2644995/23026420] then given the ten year span some kind of change is more than likely. If however, these two people were working together in the very recent past, that might be another story but even then I'd say step carefully. The best reason of all to be careful is that today's co-worker could be tomorrow's employer. Ten years is an “eternity” in life and in business making this a problem for the potential candidate as well as the unintentional reference [even if the reasons for their lack of excitement about reuniting with an old co-worker are more tangible than "not liking their perfume"]. Unless this former co-worker has done something grossly inappropriate [see http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2644995/23026420 then given the ten year span some kind of change is more than likely. If however, these two people were working together in the very recent past, that might be another story but even then I’d say step carefully. The best reason of all to be careful is that today’s co-worker could be tomorrow’s employer.

]]> By: Dwayne Phillips http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/02/should-you-provide-an-unintentional-reference.html#comment-1493 Dwayne Phillips Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:40:50 +0000 http://jrothman.com/blog/htp/2008/02/should-you-provide-an-unintentional-reference.html#comment-1493 This is a sticky one for me. I have been the victim on several occasions of someone giving an unintentional reference about me. When I learned of it - often months and years later - I learned that the "Oh I've worked with Dwayne before, and..." was untrue, a biased opinion, based on ignorance, etc. I someone comes to the hiring manager with "Oh I've worked with Dwayne before, and..." I think the hiring manger should reply "Are you willing to sit with Dwayne and me and discuss this? If not, I will forget what you told me." This is a sticky one for me. I have been the victim on several occasions of someone giving an unintentional reference about me. When I learned of it - often months and years later - I learned that the “Oh I’ve worked with Dwayne before, and…” was untrue, a biased opinion, based on ignorance, etc.

I someone comes to the hiring manager with “Oh I’ve worked with Dwayne before, and…” I think the hiring manger should reply

“Are you willing to sit with Dwayne and me and discuss this? If not, I will forget what you told me.”

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