Work Reference Dilemma
 

This is mostly a rant.

I had an interview. HR called me today (at 4:30PM) to ask for references.

I give them 3 but they are all on-campus (I worked on campus for the majority of my university days).

So I call my old employer. She's on vacation... UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
So I call another person who worked there. She's disappeared.
So I called my friend who worked there. She's disappeared.

So I look up my previous employer, but I can't find his info (I had my computer crash so I lost a lot).

I considered a Kappa reference (it doesn't need to be a work reference as much as a character reference) - they are all at convention until tomorrow and she wants it for tomorrow morning.

So I called the women who hired me for the music camp I helped at - from 1998-2000. I'm hoping she can help me out. But I didn't get an answer.

I'm also giving another on-campus name, but it's in a different area so I hope it will help.

Otherwise, I'm going back to 1998 and before. And I haven't talked to those since ... well... 2000.

*le sigh* I called the HR person and she seems to understand... but it's just soooo annoying!

No worries! :)

In the past I have asked our president, advisor, etc to be a reference. I'm sure that they will be happy to vouch for your credability even if they are at convention.

I have had to do the same thing before by listing someone then asking them after the fact. Find two good references and let them know you will list them and notify them if you do sumit their contact info to anyone :)

It's kind of like the girl scout motto: "Always be prepared"

If it doesn't have to be a work reference what about calling friends of your parents to give character references.

In the past I have used close friends of my mother or father to give me references because I have't been able to get a hold of employer references. These are people who have known me all my life so they know me pretty well.

I love these HR questions!

When you say people from your campus job have "disappeared" do you mean that they weren't around the office or they're not working anymore? If you can, try to track down any other phone number for them. Call them at that number and ask if it's okay to put them as references, and then give the HR person at the potential job those numbers. If you can't get a hold of any employment references, at least give personal references. Through Kappa would be better than just friends/acquaintences, but at least give them something. Good luck!