this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2024
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Job References
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Huh.
So Imma ask what I hope others would agree is as obvious a question as my bran thinks it is.
Lemmy is the sort of place where lots of people who don't know each other at all go, right? And generally when asking for a reference, you're asking people who know you and preferably have something to say about your character or past work to be your reference, right? And the reference is expected to either write a letter of recommendation or be ready during a certain period of time to receive a call and speak about the potential employee's character or past work, right?
So, for this community are you envisioning people giving references for folks who they know IRL? Or for people they know pretty well as fellow users of Lemmy go? Or not at all? Are you envisioning references spending time getting to know the potential employee so they can give a reasonable reference? Or maybe are you envisioning the reference being honest about barely even knowing the potential employee's name? Or is this community more like "hey, if anyone would be willing to lie to help me get a job, that'd be great"?
Honestly, I've never been asked to be a reference and I haven't often needed one. So full disclosure, I kinda don't know much about how these things work.
Hey, great question. First off, I'd like to say this community's main purpose is to offer an alternative to the functionality found on Reddit r/JobReferences and other threads or social media that are similar. More directly to your question, based on my observations and experience of that thread and others, I believe it is a combination of everything you asked about. In some cases, you have people in the same fields building quick relationships and helping each other quid pro quo. Some are entry-level jobs where young people need a name and number. Many have gaps due to their health or a family members, pregnancy, mental health break, or other legitimate reasons and need a hand in a competitive market. Some are looking to help others. As for my experience, I'm an IT gig worker and constantly need references. From a combination of my refs not answering to feeling bad for badgering my refs, I started seeking alternatives and have used them successfully. And personally, over 20 years, I've grown to dislike the barriers corporations add to get a job and enjoyed seeing communities help each other with those issues. Hopefully, that answered your question. Take care!