Am I justified in giving this guy a bad reference?

[Ns1]

TBH I think you would be needlessly exposing yourself by providing this sort of information "for free". I don't know the exact environment that you work in but there's just no reason for you to divulge anything. Is the interviewer your friend or close colleague? If not, I wouldn't say anything and stay neutral. You don't know where you'll be 2-3 years from now. Maybe the guy you don't like will get promoted and be your boss - you don't want things like this to come back and bite you later down the road.

I'd rather take the risk and not work with said d-bag again.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I don't make this shit up. Is it that surprising that people can and do win lawsuits all the time because they didn't get hired for a job.

The employer has to have a reason they passed over a more qualified applicant. "I don't like the guy's attitude" will get turned into "they didn't hire me cause I'm some protected class" in court. If there is documentation that they had personal conflicts at a prior job then we're safe.

How are you going to get this?

 

[kitchiku]

just be honest about it but off the record.

 

[thebomb]

I'd rather take the risk and not work with said d-bag again.

My bad, didn't see that the OP would be working with the guy.

 

[surfsatwerk]

How are you going to get this?

If the guy was fired with cause or if they have a criminal record. Honestly I've never dealt with this kind of a situation first hand. I make no claims of being an expert, I'm just recounting the fear of god lecture I got from the lawyers when I was hired.

 

[silverpig]

What would you want the other guy to do if the situations were reversed and you were hiring a dick from his company?

 

[DrPizza]

I've been in that situation before, and I've been honest.

And, on the opposite side of the coin, I've googled interviewees names, looked for facebook accounts, etc. We recently had a meeting with the union representative for our region about internet safety - safety for ourselves (what we can and can't do, and how we can get fired over what we post online.) It was mentioned that recently, after narrowing down a long list of applicants for a particular position down to just over a dozen, 8 or 9 of them were eliminated as candidates due to their online presence.

(Anyone planning on becoming a teacher - do NOT post pictures of yourself drinking beer on facebook. In fact, a single photo of a teacher drinking a beer was enough to get that teacher dismissed.)

 

[grrl]

The easiest answer to this question is this: when he applied for the job that forced you to work with him, how much less stress would you have endured had someone had the balls to speak the truth when asked the same thing you are being asked now.

You are potentially preventing someone elses misery.

Simple sage advice.

 

[rasczak]

Speak your mind carefully.

 

[moshquerade]

I used to work with a guy who had personality issue, specifically anger management issues. Nobody really like this guy, and few people got along with him. I was amicable enough to work with him, but I really hated him. Besides the personality issues he really is not qualified for this job, and he is lying on his resume.

He didn't put me as a reference, but the person interviewing him asked me if I knew of him from my previous job at company X.

Dick move or justified?

Everyone is so worried about saying something "mean" about another person. I think if everyone actually gave this guy his due comeuppance than maybe he would realize he has to change or get help.

 

[spaceman]

Everyone is so worried about saying something "mean" about another person. I think if everyone actually gave this guy his due comeuppance than maybe he would realize he has to change or get help.

2 sides to every story
im sure ur an asshole in someone elses eyes
as am i and ad infinitum
talkin shit rarely produces roses

 

[Zargon]

(Anyone planning on becoming a teacher - do NOT post pictures of yourself drinking beer on facebook. In fact, a single photo of a teacher drinking a beer was enough to get that teacher dismissed.)

gee and they wonder why people sue about jobs.

dismissed from being hired for doing something completely legal. awesome

but also, its the applicants fault for not cleaning the image as well.

we prune the same way, run their name through the DMV and local county clerks websites, check facebook.

found out a guy was a member of a big pro-materbation movement on facebook, sorry dude, no interview for you!

I actually, at my last job, deep 6'd a 'friend' of mine. I was used as reference on the app and everythin, then was asked 'off the record' if he was worth hiring and I said no. mostly because he job hopped yearly, and hiring in gov't is such a PITA that means another 6 months with the job open

 

[FDF12389]

After reading this thread, and went and talked to my coworker who asked me about this guy. I decided not to email to stay completely off record. I was somewhat vague, saying that I would have serious concerns in hiring this guy. I told him there was a police report on file in county XXX that happened on his current employers property. I Also noted discrepancies in his resume. As well as just saying he has issues working in a team environment.

 

[highland145]

After reading this thread, and went and talked to my coworker who asked me about this guy. I decided not to email to stay completely off record. I was somewhat vague, saying that I would have serious concerns in hiring this guy. I told him there was a police report on file in county XXX that happened on his current employers property. I Also noted discrepancies in his resume. As well as just saying he has issues working in a team environment.

:thumbsup:


My luck, he'd be hired as my boss.:'(

 

[saratoga172]

yes

lesson: don't be a dick.

Exactly.

I like to call this not burning bridges. I've disliked people I've worked with before...doesn't mean I was a dick to them. I just avoided them when possible...when not, just put on a smile and fake it. Not hard really.

 

[Gibson486]

Never give someone a bad reference.

You can say, "I have worked with him for X years. Given the time we worked together , I would need to evaluate the situation to see if I would hire him again."

Leave it at that.

 

[FDF12389]

Never give someone a bad reference.

You can say, "I have worked with him for X years. Given the time we worked together , I would need to evaluate the situation to see if I would hire him again."

Leave it at that.

I think this is an exception, as such, it is the only bad reference I've ever given.

 

[Gibson486]

I think this is an exception, as such, it is the only bad reference I've ever given.

Just make sure it stays off record then.

 

[moshquerade]

2 sides to every story
im sure ur an asshole in someone elses eyes
as am i and ad infinitum
talkin shit rarely produces roses

where did i claim to be a saint
jackass assumptions


But i will say, altruism isn't always warranted.

You're the type who covers up for liars? Must be you feel a kinship.

 

[Cogman]

I would be 100% honest. The guy deserves what he gets for being a douche. Don't go into detail, but say something to the effect of "I personally did not get along with person X, I felt like he lacked people skills". And leave it at that.

If you get multiple interviewers calling you up (Meaning person x decided to use you as a reference without informing you) then I would start saying "I'm not the best person to ask".

 

[spaceman]

where did i claim to be a saint
jackass assumptions


But i will say, altruism isn't always warranted.

You're the type who covers up for liars? Must be you feel a kinship.

"his due comeuppance"
how do we know what that is?
how does op know?
what if ops the prick?
.....
jackass assumptions indeed
:roll:

 

[moshquerade]

"his due comeuppance"
how do we know what that is?
how does op know?
what if ops the prick?
.....
jackass assumptions indeed
:roll:

what if? what if? what if?

what if you don't know what you are talking about either?

 

[spaceman]

right
then better to say nothing in that case mosh
per my advice
lol

 

[moshquerade]

right
then better to say nothing in that case mosh
per my advice
lol

that would be condoning a liar.

 

[spaceman]

ya ok
lmk when the justice league taskforce gets done meetin so we can bring some reality in here.