Job Questions?

Question

I have a question I would like to ask. If you are in the interview, the interviewer ask you if they can contact your supervisor? I know normally you would have to say yes. What happen if you know that your present boss is not going to say good thing about you eventhough you are a good worker. Would you say yes or no to the interviewer? If you said No, what is your response to it? Does it make you look bad?

Scott,

Thank you for answering my question. Not everyone is nice like you who will give another person a second chance. The company won't give a good recommendation because they don't want to hire new people whom they have to train once you leave the company. I am not in good or bad relationship w/ my supervisor. Everyday I come in and work. I don't try to make or socialize w/ them. I only talk when it is neccessary.

Answer 1

Not a good idea to tell the interviewer "no" to that question. The best thing you can do there is be totally upfront and honest about the situation because any hesitation and that supervisor WILL be getting a call. The interviewer will appreciate your honesty if you have had problems with the past supervisor.

As a hiring manager, I know that sometimes personalities don't click and nobody is perfect. I have hired people who were honest with me about problems in their past and they appreciated the second chance. Most of those people still work here today.

Honesty is the key.

Answer 2

Unfortunately, you're not alone. There are plenty of nasty bosses out there, and I've worked for some of those in the past. And it makes job hunting more difficult because they won't give you a good recommendation.

Employers understand this happens and you can turn this to your advantage by leveling with the prospective employer. In other words, by explaining the "hell" you're going through now, who wouldn't blame you for wanting to get out?.

So my advice would be this: (1) Be honest about your situation, and (2) Walk in with either a recommendation from a co-worker, a positive review, or a nice note from a customer. In other words, give them something that shows you're a good worker.

This way, they'll have something on paper that proves to them you're a good employee, despite what your boss might say. Now if you can't get something like this, then being honest about your situation with your boss will signal to the new employer that you're not hiding anything, and are just in an unfortunate position.