Your next employer only wants to know four things - dates of employment, job description, salary or wage history, and, are you eligible for re-hire?
I was a supervisor for a Fortune 500 company for over 30 years and will tell you categorically that what you write here is not what I would give any employer asking me for references for a potential hire.
All I was permitted to give to anyone seeking references for a potential hire was the dates of hire and separation.
I was not permitted to give any opinion as to whether the person was a good, bad or indifferent employee. No wage history, reason for separation or potential for re-hire were to be given.
Our litigious culture has made anything other than the simple facts of employment history dangerous.
But I will agree that it is foolish to burn bridges with an employer. You may want to return there some day.
Hah! I didn't know that's how things were in the States!
Here in Germany, it's the opposite.
The "Letter of Separation" must be phrased in glowing terms. Legal precedent has established various different phrases such as "excellent service" which must be included as a baseline, unless the employer wants to litigate and prove that it was untrue. The standard of evidence is entirely in favor of the employee, and the burden of proof upon the employer.
Of course, that ultimately has the same effect as the situation at your former corporation: The "Letter of Separation" winds up being next to useless.
Regards,
I was fired/laid off years ago. Lots of people at the firm were. It was terrible for moral as it would be 2 or 3 one week, another 2 or 3 two weeks later. Went on for 6 months I bet!
I found out via the rumor mill, walked into my boss’s office and said something like “I hear I’m getting laid off - is that true? So when were you going to get around to telling me?”
(That was as snippy as I got). I had a few more days and finished up my work or got them to a place somebody else could take over. Cleaned out my desk.
A year later they were asking me back, but I had moved on doing consulting. I told them thanks for the offer, but I have commitments at the moment....
They asked me back five times, and hired me as a consultant on about 6 other projects. Yeah - it helps not to burn any bridges.
Actually, when I found out that I was laid off I knew that it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Forced me to go into business on my own, which I had contemplated, but never had the guts to do until my back was against the wall(and some good luck).
Interesting...
Is this how your Fortune 500 company hired new employees?
The only information you had on him/her was the hire and separation dates from previous jobs?
The four questions I listed in my Comment are actually part of a well known employment law decision from around 2001.
I am very surprised to hear that major companies no longer follow that guidance.
One more good reason for executives and business owners to automate or digitize EVERY job in America!