Can You Ask Your Current Employer to be Your Job Reference?
Posted September 7th, 2017
In many cases, there are certain questions you can almost guarantee a prospective employer is going to ask every job seeker. One of those circles around whether they can contact your current manager or company for a reference. While you can often anticipate being asked this question, that doesn’t make it easy to answer depending on your situation. Typically, candidates want to keep their search activities quiet, so saying “yes” is a surefire way for your boss to find out.
However, some people may want their current manager to be a reference, especially if they’ve performed admirably in their position. But many job seekers wonder if it is appropriate to ask for a reference, especially if they are still working for the company. There are methods for navigating this conundrum. Here are some tips to get you started.
The Decision is Yours Alone
The most important thing to realize is whether you decide to allow a prospective employer to contact your current company is entirely up to you. You are by no means required to agree to the request, especially if you are trying to keep your job search activities private. Generally, most hiring managers won’t be surprised if you say “no,” so you can safely do so without much risk of repercussions.
If you are okay with them contacting your boss, then you need to lay some groundwork first. Typically, it is ill-advised to allow the prospective employer to contact your manager out of the blue, so you don’t want to agree to let them reach out until you’ve had a chance to broach the subject with your boss. In these cases, you can let the hiring manager know you need to reach out to these people first and will let them know when it is acceptable to go forward.
When Your Employer Knows About Your Job Search
Not all attempts to find other opportunities are a secret for a variety of reasons. For example, seasonal or contract workers are likely going to start planning their next career step when it comes close to them being laid off or their tasks complete. Similarly, employees that have announced an intention to move to a new city, and effectively provided notification of their intent to resign, have also already gotten their current employers involved.
In situations such as these, the idea that you are looking for a new job isn’t really a secret, making it perfectly acceptable to use your manager as a reference, as long as you discuss it with them first and you’re sure they’ll have positive things to say.
Similarly, if a coworker is aware of your activities, and is willing to keep your efforts private, they can also serve as a reference for your prospective employer.
Generally, as long as you are comfortable letting your company know about your job search, there is no reason they can’t be a reference. Otherwise, you always have the right to say “no” to the request.
If you are currently seeking a new position, the team at Bayside Solutions can connect you with leading employers throughout the area. Contact us to speak with one of our recruiters about how our services can work for you.
