DEAR JOYCE: I became the odd man out when the staff was slashed at the company where I was a department manager. I’m not sure, but I think my immediate boss caused my separation, which makes me a bit queasy about listing her as a reference in my job hunt. Can I leave her out when I prepare my reference list? – J.J.P.
No, says John Lucht, one of America’s greatest executive talent authorities: “To do so would set off horns and sirens in the mind of every reference-checker.”
Lucht is the author of the bible of executive job hunting, “Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 Million+: Your Insider’s Lifetime Guide to Executive Job-Changing and Faster Career Progress in the 21st Century.” He reveals the finer points of using references in a recent two-part discussion on his subscription website, ritesite.com. Here are two tips from the discussion that few job seekers think about...