Character References

[Guest wino]

My son has finally been offered a job. He has been given a start date but told that before they can start him he MUST provide two character references from people whos occupations where listed on an A4 piece of paper.

 

Well we've racked our brains and cannot think of anyone he knows with an occupation on the list that knows my son.

 

Anyone got any advice? If he cannot provide the references can they refuse him the position?

[advisee]

Yes in theory, presumably their offer was conditional on "receipt of satisfactory references" and in any case they would owe him no notice under statute.

 

I'm asuming your son is a school leaver, as not able to provide work references? A former teacher is the obvious bet (you don't need to ask them, just put the school name and "the headmaster" on the form).

 

Do you not have a family friend with a professional job/own business?

 

Is this a large firm, or just some local outfit?

[Guest wino]

Hi advisee,

 

My son is not a school leaver he has just turned 19.

 

He is not allowed references from family. He has worked for my husband and myself in our own business but, we are not allowed to give him references. All his other jobs have been odd days on agency work were he has had to compete with the 'Eastern Europeans' etc for work.

 

He has finally got a job opportunity and I would hate for him to loose it and go back to the bottom of the jobseekers barrel because of something out of his control.

 

I think I will write a reference anyway for him and as you say tell him to put the school down aswel.

[389shell]

As it is a character reference, is there no friends that you or your husband have who are in a professional role? Nurse, police, fireservice, doctor, judge, magistrate, teacher, director of a company? Failing that is there someone you know who comes close?

[Guest wino]

My husband and myself know lots of these people. The thing is that none of them know my son. (Not that we keep him in a box at the back of the cupboard or anything )

[389shell]

That is a shame, I couldn't possibly suggest that they give him a reference anyway as a favour, that would be wrong. Does his doctor do references for this kind of thing?

[Guest wino]

My son is 19 last time he was at the doctors was about 10 years ago. I don't think his doctor would know him. Anyway it is a medical centre were you see a different doctor each time you go.

 

I've made a few phone calls to people I know and I think we need to be a bit creative here. It is a shame we have to do this but how many 19yr olds do you know that are known well by *Quote from list* Funeral Directors, Insurance executives, Accountants and Legal Secretarys, Justice of the Peace?

 

I will print the whole list for you to have a look at next week once he's got his foot in the door (so to speak)

 

If he doesn't get the job then it's back in the job queue with all the imported unskilled labour. As if we havn't got enough of our own home grown unskilled labour to go around (as pointed out by someone else in another thread)

[389shell]

Well I wish him good luck, I bet he has fun with his funeral director mates