How Do You Deal With Bad Job References?
Few things hurt your chances of getting a job more than bad references. Future employers often rely on the opinion of previous employers to determine an applicant’s true work ethic, beyond what is listed on a resume. When faced with bad job references, you have 2 choices: crawl into a hole of unemployment or find a way to deal with the problem head on. Analyze your work history to figure out who’s giving you a bad job reference. Leaving a job on bad terms can narrow the field to a disgruntled boss, but consider references from other jobs as well. Try to remember if you had any tense interactions or disagreements that could lead someone to give you a negative reference. Contact your references and explain that you’re looking for a new job. Ask them whether they are willing to provide a positive or at least neutral reference. Most of the time people will be honest with you, but if you suspect the person you’re speaking to is the source of your bad job reference you may need to deal with
