Yesterday I had a great interview with a company regarding a graphic design position. Previous to this job I had worked for 1 1/2 months at a previous job - where because of miscommunication and personal reasons, I left without notice. (Where I live, you are entitled to leave a job without notice within a 3 month time frame). I did not feel it was necessary to include this job on my resume, but today I was confronted by the potential employer regarding this last job. He said he was informed by an employee that worked there that I left without notice and that this causes concern with them choosing me as a candidate. My question is: Is it fair for this potential to investigate a reference that I did not give? It was for these reasons that I did not include the reference in the first place. If I was offered the position, I suddenly do not feel comfortable working in an environment where some of my personal life has been exposed (and could it potentially become a larger problem?) Thanks!
2007-11-08 15:42:33 · 3 answers · asked by Adam 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment ➔ Law & Legal
Well . . . the truth is there is nothing wrong with an employer finding out from other contacts that you had worked at this other position.
While I can sympathize that it would be easier to leave this off your resume, you always risk the new/potential employer finding out about it.
What you probably need to do is sit down with the potential employer and have a nice long talk - explain your side of things. Explain about leaving it off and explain that you felt it was too short a time frame to include (Professionally, you hadn't been there long enough to grow, so you didn't include it.) And, you'll need a good explanation as to why you left without notice. If you can explain the situation without getting totally defensive or personally attacking someone at the old company (after all, for all you know, he plays golf with your former boss) and re-iterate that you are still interested in this opportunity . . .
Unless, you aren't interested anymore. That's up to you to decide.
And I don't think there is anything un-professional about a company finding out about an employee before they make a hire - they are risking something by bringing you on board. It is one of the facts of life in a smaller professional community (graphic artists DO end up knowing a lot of other graphic artists . . . )
Best of luck!
2007-11-08 15:56:45 · answer #1 · answered by tigglys 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, they didn't do anything wrong. Leaving a job without notice is not your "personal life", it is your professional life.
A bit of devil's advocate here:
To your question of whether it is "fair" for them to look into a job that you did not list as a reference, is it "fair" for you to have given them an incomplete picture of your job history?
I understand you dilemma, and have been there myself. Fortunately, that was so long ago now that no one wants a work history from that long ago...Leaving it off is tempting, but there is a risk.
2007-11-09 00:03:10 · answer #2 · answered by Brad 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is fair, and legal, for the potential employer to get whatever info about you he has access to. And you never know who knows whom, or what might come up in casual conversation.
If you "do not feel comfortable" working for them, then withdraw your name from consideration. And by the way, this isn't part of your PERSONAL life they uncovered, it's part of your WORK life
2007-11-09 11:32:43 · answer #3 · answered by Judy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋