Comments on: Why You Should Ask For Potential Employer References

By: danielb

danielb — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:48:07 +0000

@ Jerry, thanks I definitely agree. If I saw resistance I’d want to look elsewhere!

@TCE, thanks!

By: The Career Encourager

The Career Encourager — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:59:01 +0000

This is a terrific post - very wise idea to ask for references on working for a particular boss / company.

By: Jerry Matthew

Jerry Matthew — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:47:27 +0000

Dan -

I think it’s a good idea ( and quickly becoming more important) for a candidate to ask for interviews with potential new co-workers. This would give the candidate a chance to quiz his/her potential new teammates and perhaps find out more about the culture, environment, and yes, the potential new boss. If you’re hiring into a leadership position I think this is essential. You want the ability to size up your potential new team before taking the reins.

If the company or the hiring manager resists you may want to look elsewhere.

By: danielb

danielb — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:04:55 +0000

That’s the standing issue. I think it’s a great idea, albeit radical, but why not? I don’t think anyone would be offended if you asked the question in the correct way, in fact if I were the hiring manager it would just impress me more.

By: Ian Selvarajah

Ian Selvarajah — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:18:49 +0000

“…why don’t we, the employee, get to check references?”

This is a great question I’ve often wondered about as well! However, I wonder how this would play out logistically though? Could you ask to speak to other employees about what working with your future boss is like? Would they [always] tell the truth?

I’ve been fortunate enough to always have good bosses/mentors so I’m quite pleased with that!

By: danielb

danielb — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:44:18 +0000

Thanks! I’m glad to hear that other people are in the same spot. I understand that this concept is kind of far out there, but I think it’s a perfectly valid argument. Like I said, I spend as much time with my boss as I do with my wife, and My wife and I dated 5 years before we got married!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:52:25 +0000

I was so excited to read this post! My boss is the same way. Having been in this job for so long, I am very used to him, his way of communicating, and I we get along together well. At the same time, it’s evidently hard to get that comfortable with him and most assistants we hire are gone within two months. Even though I am not really part of the interview process for new hires, we are such a small office that I’ve made it a point to try to spend some time with potential assistants so that they can ask questions about him without feeling that they will make a bad impression. I think that this has really helped prepare some of them, so that they were not taken aback when they did start.