May I Contact Your Current Employer for a Reference?

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

I always find it stunning to hear that firms ask this question. I would be shocked if the hiring manager ever allowed a firm they interviewed with to do it, but they ask you if they can do it. Here is how to answer this question.

No BS Career Advice: March 23, 2025

I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter. I’m the head coach for JobSearchCoachingHQ.com. That’s a site with curated information that you can watch, listen to or read that’s going to help you find work more quickly. And someone forwarded this question to me.

I was shocked that I hadn’t really covered this before. I did it indirectly in another video, but I’ll just simply say that it’s a surprise that I haven’t covered this question before. So, let’s get started.

So, let’s get started. So, your response is really very simple. You respond in a calm manner by saying, you know, I’m doing a confidential search and there’s no guarantee that you’re going to make an offer to me and that the offer amount is going to be satisfactory and then I will have exposed myself to my employer with no guarantees.

So, I can provide you with references of people who used to work for the firm, who will verify my work and substantiate what I say. And if you have any doubts that they are people who’ve been in leadership roles, well, frankly, check their LinkedIn profiles, and you’ll see that these are individuals who worked at this organization who are in senior roles. But the reality is, for now, it’s not appropriate that you check references.

Instead, use people like this. If they find that’s unsatisfactory, there’s a message in that. And the message is not a complimentary one about them.

And it reveals something about their thinking about you, that they’re not really all that certain. And they’re using this individual to help them break a tie in their mind or a hesitation in their mind. And they’re not really sold on you.

So, again, if they’re not satisfied with the offer of another individual who’s a former manager, who has left this organization who can say good things about you, or who will speak to them about your credentials, I should say, then nothing is going to ever make them happy and they’re there to break you. Don’t let that happen. Have enough self-confidence and self-assurance to say, no, I’m not going to allow that to happen.

So, I hope you found this helpful. If you’re interested in one-on-one coaching, connect with me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com forward slash IN forward slash TheBigGameHunter. As a matter of fact, just connect with me on LinkedIn, whether you’re interested in coaching or not.

The reality is my network is probably bigger than yours. I was LinkedIn member 7653. So, a lot of people have connected to me over the years, and I’m sure they can help you as well.

So, hope you found this helpful. Hope you have a great day and take care!

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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER

People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS job search coaching and career advice globally because he makes job search and succeeding in your career easier. 

How to Get More Interviews: Look for the Third Way

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