A little focus please

I had a person referred to me, I asked who referred him to me. He says,  "I can’t remember."  

I said, "Well, send me a resume and let me know who referred you."  As I am ready to give him my email address I realized he is driving.  I asked,  Are you driving?" And he said,  "Yes." I asked him, "How are you going to take down my information?"  I get an "OH."  I told him to call me back. 

He calls back an hour later, with the crying baby in the background.  I gave him my email address.  He called back later to see if I got it.  This time with music playing loudly in the background. 

I said,  "Are you in a bar?"  He replied, "No just have the music up." 

Now he called me, so he had the opportunity to turn down the music before he called. 

I had to give him the information again, because he wrote it down wrong when taking care of the baby, again his choice to call me then.

I just got his email. 

"I spoke to you earlier this week about employment, here is my resume. Thank you."

No resume attached. 


What was his intent?
Dennis


***ATTENTION COACHING SESSIONS AVAILABLE! Coaching is available through any combination of in-person, telephone, or email support. Are you prepared to navigate the current job market?

If you would like to increase your chances and give yourself a real chance to win the next position.

Email me, or call Dennis Scherer for more information! 630-571-6025

Employers May Give Out Bad References about Former Employees

Surprise! Illinois Employers May Give Out Bad References about Former Employees!

Wessels Sherman

July 2011

Yes, under Illinois law, an employer can give out negative information about a former employee in a job reference (as long as the information that the employer gives is truthful and related to the employee's job performance). For example, an Illinois employer may say that an employee was fired by the company because this is a truthful statement and related to the employee's job performance. Illinois has a "pro-employer" law called the Employment Record Disclosure Act (it became effective June 13, 1996) under which employers are provided some measure of protection from civil actions if the employer provides truthful performance related information about an employee or a former employee in response to an employment reference inquiry. The employer may provide both truthful written or verbal information under this law. The law also provides some protection when the employer gives information that it believes in good faith is truthful. The presumption of good faith for employers or ex-employers established under this law may be "rebutted" by a "preponderance of evidence" that the information was knowingly false. Despite this law (which only operates as a defense to an employer and cannot prevent a lawsuit for defamation), many companies in Illinois have a neutral reference policy whereby they only provide the ex-employee's dates of employment, job title and job duties. Nothing more. Employers in Illinois should be extremely careful if they decide to give negative references on a past employee. Employers should be certain that the information it is disclosing is truthful, strictly related to the unsatisfactory job performance in question, and can be substantiated by the former employee's personnel file. If an Illinois employer receives a telephone call from an individual seeking a job reference on a past employee, the safest route is to simply say "I'm sorry but our company has a policy of only giving very restricted neutral reference information. So, all we can tell you is the individual's dates of employment (i.e., date of hire and date of separation), job title, and job duties. That is all we can share." Even if the caller tries to put pressure on the company for more information about the ex-employee, stick to your guns and just repeat that the company has a policy of neutral references. Some employers actually want to give positive references on ex-employees. This course of action is usually fine, but it does entail a certain amount of legal risk in that there have been lawsuits for "negligent referral." In negligent referral cases, a company sues a prior employer for inducing the company (via positive referral) to hire an individual who turns out to be very unsatisfactory in one way or another.

***ATTENTION COACHING SESSIONS AVAILABLE! Coaching is available through any combination of in-person, telephone, or email support. Are you prepared to navigate the current job market?

If you would like to increase your chances and give yourself a real chance to win the next position.

Email me, or call Dennis Scherer for more information! 630-571-6025

Finally got "Mines"

I have qualification that represents me as an eligible candidate for this position. 

Also had an experience, which I can use for company's growth. 

During my work experience, I have an ability to meet demands and objectives of the company. 

The plus points of mines are my ability to multi-task, secretarial, event planning,, child care (former volunteer at day camps for Chicago Park District), as well as register in IL nurse aid registry. 

I have my own transportation and insured. 

Experience and able to handling copying of contracts and other documents e-mail answering, interacting/greeting (communication) with customer, and also handling the extra work (running errands) from the company. 

From Dennis - Taken from today's resume and cover letter of the day!


***ATTENTION COACHING SESSIONS AVAILABLE! Coaching is available through any combination of in-person, telephone, or email support. Are you prepared to navigate the current job market?

If you would like to increase your chances and give yourself a real chance to win the next position.

Email me, or call Dennis Scherer for more information! 630-571-6025