Nov 18, 2010

What to do when a Reference doesn’t return calls by prospective employers

Posted by Wendy Weber

You worked for a company for a number of years. You had a good rapport with your boss. You were laid off, not because of your performance, but due to the economy. Your boss provided a sterling letter of recommendation, and said that he would be happy to serve as a reference.

But now that your job search is underway, and you are providing his contact information to potential employers, he is not returning their calls!

Although it would certainly be helpful for him to take those calls, it may be asking too much of him. If you were part of a broader layoff, or if your boss is still struggling to keep the business afloat, it may be too time consuming to speak with numerous potential employers. The written letter of reference is his endorsement of you, and you may have to tell prospective employers that your prior employer is very pressed for time and does not give verbal references.

As recruiters, it is frustrating for us when we are asked to conduct a reference check on behalf of a client and the former employers provided by our candidate are elusive. We may have to leave several voice messages and send several emails before we receive a response. When we finally connect, the references are almost always complimentary. It is simply that the reference is busy, and taking time out from an already over-scheduled workday is difficult.

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