Current Job Reference: Why do they ask this question?

[Anonymous]

I recently had a second interview for a very sought after position. At the end of the interview, I was asked about checking references and the interviewee asked about checking my current job reference. Of course, I mentioned that I would like to be notified before this happens. I did provide a list of previous supervisors and two references that are of senior SES-level people that have worked directly with me or hired me.

Unfortunately, I believe my current job reference would sabotage any chances at a new position. What gives with this question?

BTW: My performance reviews are stellar and I have received awards for my work while working under low-performing directors.

[Anonymous]

If you think one of your references is not going to help you, you need to find a new reference. I'm not a fed but one time a coworker and I agreed to become each other's references while we were both looking for other work. It worked out well for both of us.

[Anonymous]

OP here. My listed references have agreed. This is my current director; who is not a reference. There is only one person/position above my director. I do not think it is appropriate to give a subordinate as a reference.

There is a great chance that a colleague would spill the beans and receive a brownie point in their favor for doing so. Unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

It seems rather ignorant for a potential employer to even ask.

Perhaps they *want* to sabotage your current job so you'll get fired and they can lowball your salary offer?

[Anonymous]

Just tell them they can't contact your current employer. That's very normal and they shouldn't have a problem with it. If they do, or insist on contacting anyways, that's not a company you want to work for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just tell them they can't contact your current employer. That's very normal and they shouldn't have a problem with it. If they do, or insist on contacting anyways, that's not a company you want to work for.

This. Sometimes, the company knows that the employee is looking for another job, in which case, there's no damage done by calling their current supervisor. But it's quite normal for applicants to say that they have not yet informed their office that they are job hunting, and they would prefer that the hiring company not contact their current supervisor. Nothing strange about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just tell them they can't contact your current employer. That's very normal and they shouldn't have a problem with it. If they do, or insist on contacting anyways, that's not a company you want to work for.

This. Sometimes, the company knows that the employee is looking for another job, in which case, there's no damage done by calling their current supervisor. But it's quite normal for applicants to say that they have not yet informed their office that they are job hunting, and they would prefer that the hiring company not contact their current supervisor. Nothing strange about that.

+1 It would be a very unusual situation for your current employer to be provided as a reference! I've only done it once -- I was interviewing for a position with a client of the consulting firm I worked at. My boss at the time recommended it to me, although the hiring manager had some questions for her along the lines of, "if she's so great, why do you want her to leave" (answer being that my boss was a great mentor and saw the job was a good fit with my long term goals while the current company was not)

As a hiring manager, I'd never ask for current employer and be very surprised if it were offered.

[Anonymous]

We are interviewing for several positions currently, the boss in charges of all new hires has been "taking points off" if candidates don't list their current supervisor as a reference. This is the first time I have ever heard of that approach to hiring. In the past it was almost always assumed that your current boss would not act as a reference. The only time I ever did do that was because the company was going out of business and the bosses were actively helping us find new positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are interviewing for several positions currently, the boss in charges of all new hires has been "taking points off" if candidates don't list their current supervisor as a reference. This is the first time I have ever heard of that approach to hiring. In the past it was almost always assumed that your current boss would not act as a reference. The only time I ever did do that was because the company was going out of business and the bosses were actively helping us find new positions.

Boss is a ridiculous control freak. No, thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just tell them they can't contact your current employer. That's very normal and they shouldn't have a problem with it. If they do, or insist on contacting anyways, that's not a company you want to work for.

Well the federal gov't certainly has a problem with it! My husband was applying for a position at the SEC and they said it was required that they have a current supervisor even after he explained that it would put his current job in jeopardy. The feds just don't understand what cutthroat real world business is like and that you may not want your boss knowing you are looking at other jobs. It was very nerve wracking and he almost walked away. He was able to find a partner that he felt he could trust to serve as the reference.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who's willing to serve as my current reference, but she's peer level to me and I trust her. I've done the same for it.

Thankfully I have not had to deal with an prospective employer talking to my current supervisor. What a disaster!

[Anonymous]

You can just give someone from HR as a reference. Sometimes they just want to verify your current job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can just give someone from HR as a reference. Sometimes they just want to verify your current job.

This.

[Anonymous]

I've run into this problem, and got around it by supplying my most recent performance review. All of my other references were good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just tell them they can't contact your current employer. That's very normal and they shouldn't have a problem with it. If they do, or insist on contacting anyways, that's not a company you want to work for.

Well the federal gov't certainly has a problem with it! My husband was applying for a position at the SEC and they said it was required that they have a current supervisor even after he explained that it would put his current job in jeopardy. The feds just don't understand what cutthroat real world business is like and that you may not want your boss knowing you are looking at other jobs. It was very nerve wracking and he almost walked away. He was able to find a partner that he felt he could trust to serve as the reference.

I ran into the same problem with a different agency, and it wasn't just to verify employment before making an offer. They wanted to contact every final round candidate's current supervisor even though they only had budget for one hire.