• StereoTrespasser@lemmy.world
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    11 months ago

    A good rule of thumb is to never, ever burn bridges with past managers. Keep your dignity and remain professional. You never know when you’ll need them as a reference.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        In the US, that’s straight up illegal unless they write you a reference separately. When the hiring company calls they can only give the legal answers.

        Also, you could just write that letter yourself and have a friend be your ex boss. The rules are meaningless and the points are made up.

        • drphungky@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          It is not illegal to call and talk about you with a reference that you gave them - that’s the whole point of a reference. Separately, yes, calling a former boss may only get the prospective employer answers like “they worked here and are eligible for rehire”, but that’s usually a human resources policy to avoid a costly, but ultimately winnable if you only tell the truth, lawsuit. It’s not illegal for a former boss to shit on you if you were shitty, and it happens all the time at smaller firms, in small industries, or small towns.

          • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            Why in the name of Murphy would you give them a bad reference?

            This is explicitly an issue with employment verification and there are very clear legal boundaries there. Your revenge fantasy does not apply to reality.

            • drphungky@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              What on earth? I don’t know why you’re trying to make me out like I have a revenge fantasy. Did you read anything I wrote?

              Again, what you’re saying is wrong. It’s not illegal. Show me a law where telling the truth about someone is illegal. It’s not illegal in employment verification, and it’s definitely not illegal for a reference which is what you were talking about about, and does not need to be some separate written document. As I wrote, it is a common HR policy to not give feedback to avoid a costly but ultimately winnable lawsuit, always in the case of truth and often in the case of opinions: https://www.findlaw.com/employment/hiring-process/is-a-former-employer-s-bad-reference-illegal-.html#:~:text=Legal actions based on misstatements,employee to a potential employer.

              It’s a common misconception, so totally understandable, but if you’re going to be very wrong don’t be a dick about it.

              • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                Because you seem hellbent on finding a way around the law. HR departments don’t do more than dates, rehire eligibility, and character of termination specifically because of legal liability.

                So who am I going to believe, the guy saying you can shit talk whoever you want, or the professionals who do this every day in a legally safe manner?

                • drphungky@lemmy.world
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                  11 months ago

                  Because you seem hellbent on finding a way around the law.

                  Please show me the law.

    • Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
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      11 months ago

      A former manager of mine has been trying to convince me to return anytime she sees me since I left almost 2 years ago, offering me better pay and a position much higher on the foodchain. She also respects why I left (I had bigger ambitions that they couldn’t meet at the time) and respects my reason that I haven’t taken her up on that offer (that place only has really garbage benefits)

      One of my wife’s friends babysits for the director of IT at a large company 2 hours away and apparently I can get an interview with them if I just say the word.

      Being professional and staying on good terms is not just for the employer, but it can also be a safety net to fall back on if things go sideways. Being able to reach out to contacts and say “Hey, I’m unexpectedly looking for a job now, do you have any openings?” is a very good place to be, plus sharing openings with former colleagues is a good way to help eachother out.