Ref Check By Interviewing Company Before Giving An Offer - Led To A Bad Situation With The Current Reporting Manager

Hi all,

This is for a close friend who is suffering due to the irresponsible behavior of the interviewing organization.

So, my friend interviewed for a position in the company with the HR & CMO - one final interview was to be conducted with the CEO. In the meantime, the interviewing company CMO connected with one person in my friend's current organization, trying to do a reference check. This person turns out to be my friend's reporting manager.

Now, this reporting manager is making my friend's life hell - he is making statements like "I know you are looking out and not interested in work. I can terminate you." He made a statement today to my friend, "Let's talk tomorrow about your exit plan." This reporting manager is the CMO of the current company and is highly abusive in the office too, using actual Hindi abuses! We can't expect him to have given a good reference check either - despite my friend being a top performer with him.

My friend checked with the interviewing company's HR, who said, "We did not do an official reference check, and we cannot control if someone does an unofficial check."

My friend is now under a lot of pressure since he doesn't have an offer in hand, and the job in hand is being threatened.

He is also worried that his manager's vengeful behavior may have led him to give a bad reference, which will spoil his chances of getting an offer from the other company.

Can anything be done to resolve this situation?

Hi seniors, need help here. The situation has gone from bad to worse. The interviewing company is taking things slow, and the current boss is making life hell for my friend. Can anything be done - officially or unofficially?

Dear,

One feels sorry to hear of such cases. Unfortunately, there is no legal remedy here unless the matter reaches harassment levels. However, there are unofficial remedies available, which one can seek recourse to should the need arise.

Warm regards.

Hello Aarti,

Has the problem been resolved?

As far as I can see, one way open for your friend is to contact the CEO of the new company discreetly and update him/her of the situation. Also, let him not speak as if he's complaining, as that could only aggravate the situation. Just ask him to stick to the facts as he sees it based on the present CMO's remarks.

In short, let him put the CEO in a guilty mode thanks to the actions of his/her CMO.

Meanwhile, ask your friend to compile all his appraisals, rewards, and increments he got in this present company to countervail the likely bad outcome of the BC. He will need all the documentation he can manage to counter the bad feedback.

One thing is for sure, the CMO of the new company has gone above board in doing the reference check without looking at the consequences and their HR ought to have handled it appropriately rather than saying 'we cannot control if someone does an unofficial check'. This aspect can also be one of the points your friend can mention to their CEO.

They have absolutely no right to play with careers by their ham-handed actions.

@Raj Kumar--

You mentioned 'unofficial remedies available'.

Suggest elaborating on them.

Rgds,

TS