Vanity (need advice on job interview....how to deal with a former bad supervisor)

self | 06-16-2013 | self

[ak267]

I'm in the process of interviewing for a job and the application lists references (which I listed) but they want to talk with former employers. NE has a law stating that former employers can talk about former employees (within certain bounds).

A few years ago, I had falling out with a former boss where she verbally snapped at me (within ear shot of other workers). In addition, I was having problems with my father's health (terminal cancer) and the closing out of his estate (messy situation).

I explained my condition to the HR department and I offered two weeks notices. Considering the economic climate and layoffs at my workplace (and my situation) they allowed me to leave that day.

Now, I don't now how to explain this to a potential employer.

Advice?

[Tuketu]

Agree with you. Be short and direct as to some difficulties with prior supervisor because of father's health and estate problems. You posed no problem for your former manager as you resigned rather than disrupt the organization.

It is my opinion that unless the x-boss is a ditz, she will pick up on the reason offered and let it go. Most former managers do not want themselves nor their firm to be sued.

All JMO

[fso301]

Large companies continually have reorganizations. If you work long enough in such environments, you will eventually encounter a supervisor that you fundamentally differ with.

I would de-emphasize the supervisor and talk more about the larger set of circumstances, how they were something of a once in a lifetime "perfect storm" and that your voluntary resignation was done to avoid burnout.

I would also be prepared to talk about the lessons you learned from this and what steps you have taken to ensure it was just a once in a career event.

[Rusty0604]

Defamation Lawsuits To prove a defamation case, a former employee must show that you intentionally damaged his or her reputation by making harmful statements that you knew weren’t true. Pretty much any negative comment you make can qualify as a harmful statement that intentionally damaged the employee’s reputation. If you had to fire someone, the reasons behind it almost assuredly damage the employee’s reputation and by communicating those reasons to a new employer, it becomes intentional. Defamation isn’t just limited to factually untrue statements about a former employee. If you tell the potential employer things that you suspect or strongly think are true, but can’t actually prove, then that may qualify as a statement that you “didn’t know was true”. Keep unflattering comments to yourself, and really just stick to the verifiable facts. - See more at: http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/employment-law-and-human-resources/employment-references-how-to-avoid-getting-sued.html#sthash.isHrvUUI.dpuf

I’ve had to give references for former employees. I usually limited it to dates of employment, title and salary. If I had fired someone for stealing, I would only add that they were not elgible for rehire.

[Secret Agent Man]

you explained it fairly clearly here, without going negative. You should just say it pretty much the way you said it here. You’re obviously not out to just bitch about your former supervisor, you’d have said it a totally different way if that were true.

Others in business know this kind of thing happens. You might want to end it with someting like “This really was an eyeopening experience for me because I’ve never had anything like this happen to me before.” If you want to convey it was a one-time thing and it caught you by surprise, that you weren’t expecting it to turn out that way.

[Innovative]

It sounds like the bad situation was a while back.

The most current references are the most important ones. Be sure you have several of those.

I would not give that supervisor’s name — is there someone else at that old work place whom you can give as a reference? Or if they specifically ask who was your supervisor at that place, any chance you had better relations with the supervisor’s supervisor who may remember you? Put that person down. They most likely won’t call them, since it’s at least two jobs back. As for why you quit, since apparently they allowed you to do so, your reason of having to deal with family issues should be sufficient reason, especially since you did get another job shortly thereafter.

Don’t agonize over it, you’ll be all right, as long as you did OK on the interview and have references who will say positive things about you. Good luck!

[BfloGuy]

Find someone in your old workplace who and answer in the affirmative.

I agree -- good plan. I couldn't stand the manager at my last job and she couldn't stand me. There was one manager in the department I didn't report directly to whom I got along very well with, though.

She was happy to provide me with a reference and it worked. The prospective employer has no idea of the organizational chart at the other place.

[ak267]

FYI.....I GOT THE JOB!!!!

Based upon the salary that was quoted, it’s a nice raise.

Now, my job is to PROVE to the boss that they made the right decision buy working my butt off and doing my best.