References (not the library/academic kind)

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Does anyone give a damn if you use a coworker for a reference, someone who isn't necessarily on a supervisor level?

I don't care about what is "supposed to be done" in this situation, I'm talking about what potential employers actually care about.

 

[93JC]

It depends on the potential employer. A co-worker is an acceptable reference but in my experience most employers prefer a supervisor. A supervisor is more likely to give an impartial reference, which is what they're looking for.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

What are they hoping to find out with the references, exactly? What is the point of them?

 

[93JC]

They want to know if the interviewee would be a good employee, and who better to ask than their former employer?

It just so happens a former co-worker recently asked me to be a reference for him. I was an 'indirect' supervisor; I was in a position such that I could delegate work to him but he didn't report to me directly unless it was something specific we were working on. I certainly didn't have the power to fire him.

I was asked many questions. "How long did you work with him?", "Were you a direct supervisor?", "What was his position?", "What was your position?", "What were his responsibilities?", "What are his strengths?", "Was he punctual?" "Did he meet deadlines?", "Would you work with him again?", "Would you recommend him to another employer?", "On a scale of one to five how would you rate his performance, 'one' being 'unsatisfactory', ..., 'four' being "above average", 'five' being 'excellent'?", etc.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

They want to know if the interviewee would be a good employee, and who better to ask than their former employer?

It just so happens a former co-worker recently asked me to be a reference for him. I was an 'indirect' supervisor; I was in a position such that I could delegate work to him but he didn't report to me directly unless it was something specific we were working on. I certainly didn't have the power to fire him.

I was asked many questions. "How long did you work with him?", "Were you a direct supervisor?", "What was his position?", "What was your position?", "What were his responsibilities?", "What are his strengths?", "Was he punctual?" "Did he meet deadlines?", "Would you work with him again?", "Would you recommend him to another employer?", "On a scale of one to five how would you rate his performance, 'one' being 'unsatisfactory', ..., 'four' being "above average", 'five' being 'excellent'?", etc.

There's a couple people I might be able to use.

My ex offered to be a reference for me at one point, but my gut tells me that's a bad idea. Although, she is a supervisor now, which I think may have had something to do with our breakup. Still...I've found that with social situations, the best course of action is your gut feeling. But there are others that might be willing to help.

Words are wind.

I think I have more anxiety over this than over any part of the job application process.

 

[93JC]

An ex? I would go with your gut on that one.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

An ex? I would go with your gut on that one.

Yup. I've found that my gut is more valuable in social situations than stupid Ti. This has become especially apparent over the past year.

There are other people I know who I trust more, though.

It seems like the purpose of references is mostly to make sure that the person being considered is not full of shit, going by what you're saying.

 

[93JC]

Pretty much. Out of curiosity how old are you?

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Pretty much. Out of curiosity how old are you?

Old enough that I should know better, probably.

What hypothesis are you trying to test here? That no one over 21 would even contemplate something so bone-headed?

 

[93JC]

I'm not testing any hypotheses, just wondering where you're coming from. A lot of 23-year-olds don't have many (or any) references and don't really see the point because they've never worked a job where a reference has been important to the hiring process. That's all.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Oh, if it's about that, then I'm 27. I have a few references to use, but I want to make them more current if I can. I can't ask my current supervisor for references, though, for obvious reasons. A trusted coworker might be something different (not that I count my ex among those).

 

[93JC]

A coworker is a perfectly acceptable reference.

It might make you feel better to know that eventually a time will come when you'll have a large enough network of contacts and colleagues that you can get a job somewhere without any references at all. 'Til then you'll have to play the stupid game.

(I'm also 27, and I had to provide references to get my current gig, but that was a matter of corporate policy. My boss would have offered me a job on the spot if he could have but he had to go through the HR department...)

 

[Coriolis]

A reference need not be a direct supervisor, but it is better not to use your peers. A senior coworker would be better, someone with much more experience in your workplace, and especially someone who was in a position to mentor or train you. Don't overlook teachers and people for whom you volunteered as well, especially if the instruction or activities are relevant to the job you are applying for. If your old job involved customers or dealing with the public, a reference from a significant or well-known (and hopefully satisfied) customer/patron would be good, too.

 

[Such Irony]

I have sometimes used coworkers as references. I've had jobs where I've had minimal direct contact with my supervisor and my supervisor only knew me on a more superficial level. The coworker was much more knowledgeable and aware of my strengths and what I actually did on the job day to day.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

A reference need not be a direct supervisor, but it is better not to use your peers. A senior coworker would be better, someone with much more experience in your workplace, and especially someone who was in a position to mentor or train you. Don't overlook teachers and people for whom you volunteered as well, especially if the instruction or activities are relevant to the job you are applying for. If your old job involved customers or dealing with the public, a reference from a significant or well-known (and hopefully satisfied) customer/patron would be good, too.

I actually have a lot of coworkers who trained me, this hadn't even occurred to me.

 

[Lexicon]

Coworkers are usually acceptable references. I never had issues with using them. I also readily accepted them as a new hire's references when I hired people at one of my older jobs, albeit that was just a shitty convenience store manager position.

 

[garbage]

I'd personally take coworkers as references, especially if they could comment on the applicant's team-orientedness and overall competence. Hell, I've taken applicants' friends as references.

Other employers might not be so lenient, but