Staff References

[GFCCCC]

Hi, Does anyone else have difficulty obtaining references for new staff. Recently we have had to keep phoning and chasing previous employers to get references and some them are refusing to do it and some are telling us that it's company policy not to provide them. This is most frustrating. I do understand how time consuming it is to keep providing references and especially if someone has left a while back - but in the spirit of safeguarding children - we do it. I prepare a basic reference for everyone that leaves and save it in a file on the computer so that we can forward it by email every time anyone requests one - which is particularly useful if it's for someone that left a long time ago and their line manager has left.

 

[Paintboxsutton]

What a fantastic idea, I seem to get lots of reference requests which can be quite time consuming so doing one as they leave would make life a lot easier, Thank you!

 

 

[thumperrabbit]

Yes that is a great idea thanks!

We haven't had a problem this time but in the past we have had problems too, particularly if the last employer was not childcare related.

 

Another reference question if you leave a committee run setting who do you put as your referee the Committee?

[GFCCCC]

If you are the Manager, I would put the Committee Chair - otherwise the setting Manager

[thumperrabbit]

Which would be ok if the Chair doesn't also leave?! Committee Chair's only last 1 year these days with us

[Inge]

Which would be ok if the Chair doesn't also leave?! Committee Chair's only last 1 year these days with us

Chair was no use.. I used staff members I had been working with.

[thumperrabbit]

Chair was no use.. I used staff members I had been working with.

I thought I'd ask my Deputy too and perhaps an ex-chair who was a lot more 'on-it' than current committee! I just didn't know if future employers would except it, thanks Inge

[lsp]

I have asked my deputy in the past to provide references. Bit difficult if the reason you are leaving is due to or is causing friction etc but you would hope (fingers crossed) that who ever you ask is professional enough to put any differences to one side.

[Guest]

We always ask for references before the interviews to help speed things up as hopefully we will get them not long after giving the job offer, but I have found that a lot of people don't bother returning them.Fortunately the ones for the people we decided to offer the job to did come in and it's the turned down people that we didn't receive them back for. It always makes me wonder if there is a problem with the person if their reference doesn't come in, so if they have a policy of not doing them that is very unfair on the candidate as it can put doubt in your mind.