Good worker, bad luck: How can you overcome potentially lousy references?

Q: Most of your references are good. But you just got laid off because your company is doing poorly, and you were fired from your previous job because your boss didn't like you. The second company would likely tell other employers that it would not rehire you. How can you overcome potentially lousy references?

Nick's reply: First, remember that your most recent good references will count for a lot. If you are asked for three references, try to provide two from your last employer.

Second, you need to find out what your previous employer is saying about you. Companies are pretty careful about giving references nowadays because they can get sued for making inappropriate comments about former employees. (If you believe your termination was improper, you should see an attorney. Even if there's no lawsuit or cash settlement, you may be able to get the company to "clean up" your file. This could mean a lot to you in the coming years.)

While your old personnel office might give out nothing more than your dates of employment, a recruiter could poke around and actually talk with the boss who fired you. Don't assume that you can hide bad references. Assume the worst, and be ready to counter it. Your challenge is to produce a couple of references from people you worked with at that company -- people who know your boss was unreasonable -- who will say good things about you. That will mitigate the negative reference.

But you might be able to do even more to defuse one vindictive boss.

I once placed a manager whose ex-boss provided this reference: "He's a bum, can't be counted on, doesn't do a good job, and I'd never recommend him to anyone."

My guy got the job because I produced a reference who casually explained that the candidate's boss was a kook. After providing a good reference, he volunteered: "Oh, by the way. If you talk to the candidate's last boss, let me give you a word of advice. He's a kook, and I wouldn't be surprised at anything he says. He hates everybody who ever left his team."

You might be able to do something with this, if your old boss is known to others as a backstabber. But enough about direct references.

What should you say in the interview about that old job, if it comes up? Say as little as possible. Focus instead on the job at hand, and create what I refer to as an indirect reference.

"I want to work in a company where I'd be proud to be an employee. I didn't feel that way about that other company. John Jones, whom I believe you know, told me a lot about your business, and I've checked you out through other contacts. What I'm told consistently is that you value and reward hard work. I'd like to show you how I could apply my expertise to make your business more successful, while at the same time providing me with important kinds of opportunities."

It's critical that you develop contacts like "John Jones" -- credible mutual contacts you can quote and who will stand up for you. A manager will take you seriously if people he knows and trusts recommend you. So before you interview with a prospective employer, do whatever it takes to create those mutual links to establish your credibility.

That's how you pre-empt negative comments from one bad boss. Make sense? Try it.

Copyright 2009. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.