Application Advice - referees

[wood_elf]

Hi everyone. I'm not currently unemployed but have various reasons for wanting to get out of my current job, not least that my boss has just cut my hours by 1/3 and I was only doing 30hrs to start with. Boss is a very volatile and bad-tempered person, known to shout and swear and kick things, and everyone on his staff is currently looking for

Comments

[alkhemeta]

If you weren't at this job very long it might be ok to skip it. If you were though you might want to look into your state's unemployment laws because you may have no choice but to list him, in which case if he fires you you can appeal for unemployment whilst looking for another job and maybe on future references put 'unfairly terminated'. That's really all I can think of. I hope it helps.

[wood_elf]

I've been at the job about 6 months, so probably long enough to need a reference. It's more the part of letting him know I'm looking for a new job. :( If I don't manage to find one reasonably quickly, work is going to be pretty unpleasant.

Thanks for advice. I'm not sure it's the law here (in UK) but afaik it looks suspicious to skip a reference that's requested on the form.

[lassarina]

this is what I'd recommend. Use a supervisor from your previous job, a coworker from teh present one, and explain the situation when asked. (When I was looking last summer, I was unable to provide *any* manager references--I didn't trust the most recent boss and managers at my preceding employment are forbidden by company policy to give refs.)

[wood_elf]

I hadn't thought of that - that's a really good idea. I do have a coworker who has been with the business a long time but is as disgruntled as I am and might well be willing to be my referee.

[wood_elf]

Unfortunately it's a small business and my boss is the business owner. There is no-one above him and he knows it. -_- Think 'ask a colleague' sounds like a good idea, I may just do that. Thanks!