Where's the Boss?

By Gini Graham Scott

Tracking Down Your Missing Job References

Since the lazy days of summer are almost over, job-hunting jumps into fast forward mode for many employees. You may have to hit that pause button when it comes to the increasingly sticky problem of providing recommendations.

It's a fact of life right now--and not just in high-tech towns--that the company you last worked for may no longer be in business. Or, at the very least, your boss moved on to parts unknown. This can make trying to track down someone in a position of authority who can vouch for your character and capability truly a mission near-impossible. And there's no getting around it, either; every prospective boss checking your references wants to talk to a real live person about you.

Even when companies and personnel are stable, obtaining more than a Joe Friday-like "just the facts" recommendation can be just as frustrating. The reason is that many employers have become recommendation-shy even about model employees because of--what else?--our lawsuit-happy society.

These days, firms will give out no more information about ex-workers than dates of employment, job title, and possible salary. The danger lurks both ways. If they say anything negative (even if true), they could be sued by the employee who is looking for a job. Or if they don't say anything negative, they could be sued by the new employer for giving a recommendation that contributed to the hiring of an employee who messed up.

This has made trying to find a job even more trying for one reader--let's call her Susan. She explains in an e-mail: "The most recent written job reference I have is from five years ago. I've asked supervisors since then to write references, but they decline, citing company policy." Nevertheless, Susan provided the name, address and phone number of her last supervisor, who would only give out the barest of information about her.

She struck out with other past employers. A supervisor from a previous job had left the state, another one had retired, and a third who had given her a letter of recommendation had left the company and now couldn't be found.

What a dilemma. Susan's potential employer still wants to personally chat with one of her former supervisors, and it just can't be accomodated. Susan feels she's repeatedly losing jobs she's qualified for because of what can only be called a lack-of-talk technicality. So what should Susan do?

Obviously, Susan needs to muster all her detective skills. The Internet is an excellent resource when the usual networking comes to nothing. The on-line archives of trade publications are a great place to begin: usually there are pages of personnel announcements (one of which may involve an ex-boss).

If Susan still is empty-handed, it's time for Plan B. She should take special care to make a bang-up first impression with everything else she has to offer. For instance, she needs to create a superb resume; prepare well for the interview, and display great confidence. Then, by the time her references are requested, this will seem like a mere formality.

But when that request does come up, first and foremost she should be honest about her situation. She can start off by reminding the prospective boss about the realities of the current job market--companies disappearing or downsizing, supervisors and managers moving on, employers fearful of saying the wrong thing--to set the stage for why her references are not as complete as she would like them to be.

If Susan held one or two jobs for a long period of time, she may be able to get her point across in a conversation. But if she has had a number of jobs where finding references are a problem, she should create a written document that lists each job, company, supervisor, and why she can't find anyone to recommend her. If material is presented clearly and concisely, any prospective employer would be understanding (and perhaps even appreciate Susan's attention to detail and organization).

Next, Susan must offer some substitute which will make the would-be boss feel more comfortable about hiring her. Perhaps she can obtain cooperation from a former co-worker who can talk about the period of time they worked together. Or she can offer the name of a colleague from a different company who knew her work and reputation. Still another alternative might be a performance evaluation from a community or volunteer program leader who watched her in action.

Finally, she can make an offer few employers can refuse today: "Let me work for you for [insert whatever period of time seems reasonable] to show you what I can do. If you like my work, hire me; if not, you have no obligation to me. But I'm so sure you'll like what I do, that I'm willing to try out."

In summary, if you can't come up with everything a would-be employer requests, come up with reasonable alternatives. It's like renting from the video store: if the film you want is missing, take home a different movie and then hit "play" on your VCR. Maybe everyone will like it the same or better.

Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D., J.D., is an author and specialist in organizational behavior, conflict resolution and creativity. To discuss a work-related relationship problem, send a brief description of the dilemma with an e-mail address and a phone number to GiniS@aol.com.

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