How to Handle a Job Applicant Without an Experience Letter from a Previous Employer?

Hi all,

I came across a situation where a candidate applied for a job and said that he has 3 years of work experience in the organization. However, he does not have any experience certificate from his past employer because he was not working directly on the company's payroll. He is showing a current employer certificate where he has been working for the past year. In this case, what should I consider?

I would appreciate your feedback.

Thank you in anticipation.

Thanks and Regards,
Mithilesh

Hi Mithilesh,

If he does not have an experience certificate, he will at least have some proofs like an offer letter where his date of joining will be mentioned, a salary hike letter, and at least one payslip showing that he has worked in that organization.

Sirisha Reddy

Hi,

Does the one-year certificate show that he has the skills he claims to have? Can we not check with the previous employer with whom he was working, though not as a direct employee? If he was working through a contractor or an agency (which is hopefully not his present employer), then can that agency not certify his employment through them with the principal employer?

In any case, have you found him suitable? If yes, why not take him, observe him during the probation, and make a hard decision at the end of the probation, if need be? After all, what is the probation period provided for?

Is he going to exercise skills that may endanger human life, or is a misapplication of the skill likely to cause damage to the company's property in any way? In such a case, it is better not to engage him.

Will this help you handle the situation as an HR professional?

Regards,
Samvedan
December 1, 2006

I agree with the previous posting. You can start by doing some background checking. Call up his previous place and talk to his colleagues because at times his workmates may be more helpful than the previous employer.

You can conduct interviews and check his job knowledge to see whether he can fit into the Job Description & Specification.

Thank you very much for all your valuable inputs. I hope I can now resolve this matter. Once again, thanks to everyone for helping me out.

Thanks and Regards,
Mithilesh

Hi Mithilesh,

Mithilesh is also my father's name, so he guides me a lot. I hope you can guide me to create my experience letter. I am currently in Servilink Systems Limited, working as an account assistant for 1.3 years. However, I am now moving to Sydney, Australia. I have my experience letter, but I am not on the company's payroll. Can you please guide me?

Reply as soon as possible.

Bye, have a good day.

Hiral

Hi Hiral,

You can take an experience letter either from the contractor or from the company where you are working. You only have to convince them that they can write in your experience letter that you are working on a contract basis. So, I don't think they will have any problem in giving you the letter.

Thanks and regards,
Mithilesh

Hi,

Can you provide me with some proforma for an experience letter? What kind of experience letter will be issued?

Thank you for responding.

Regards,
Hiral Shah

Hi Hiral,

XX December 2006

TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN

This is to certify that Hiral Shah served in our organization on a contract basis from [start date], 2005, to [end date], 2006, as [position].

During his tenure with us, we found him to be sincere, hardworking, and possessing good moral conduct. We wish Miss Hiral Shah all the best for his future endeavors.

For [Company Name]

Managing Director