Hi all, This is for a close friend who is suffering due to the irresponsible behavior of the interviewing organization.
Interview Process and Reference Check Issues
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's 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.
Current Workplace Challenges
Now, this reporting manager is making my friend's life difficult. 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.
Response from Interviewing Company's HR
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."
Current Situation and Concerns
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?
From India , Pune
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Interview Process and Reference Check Issues
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's 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.
Current Workplace Challenges
Now, this reporting manager is making my friend's life difficult. 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.
Response from Interviewing Company's HR
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."
Current Situation and Concerns
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?
From India , Pune
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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?
From India , Pune
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From India , Pune
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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 on 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 them 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.
Unofficial Remedies
@Raj Kumar-- You mentioned 'unofficial remedies available'. Suggest elaborating on them.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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1650In 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.
Unofficial Remedies
@Raj Kumar-- You mentioned 'unofficial remedies available'. Suggest elaborating on them.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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REFERENCE CHECK FORM TO BE SENT TO TSUPERVISOR.doc
Reference Check Form.pdf