Problems with job search-need advice quick?
July 23, 2009
Daves Here asked:
Ok, to make a long story short, ive been looking for a month, after i was laid off due to the company closing. Ive been out around 4 days a week putting in applications everywhere-ive lost count as to how many ive put in to tell you the truth. Sitting around drawing unemployment is not my style-i need a job. Its driving me nuts.
Anyways-something just hit me. Where i worked at last was a guy with the exact same first and last name as mine, yet we were not related at all. While a nice guy on one side, he really was not the ideal employee and had been written up several times and was always in some sort of argument with management or other employees.
Is it possible that companies im applying at are calling my past employer-asking about me and they might be getting confused between the two of us? Could they be giving these companies im working at a bad review, because they are getting the two of us mixed up?
I know all that is a long shot………..
Also, i have a job interview today with a company i really want to work for. Should i possibly bring this up somehow? Should i tell them that if they call my previous employer to make certain they ask about the right “Joe Smith” (not my real name) because there was two of us there by the same name? Or would that sound dorky?
We do have different middle names, so hopefully this will help.
I just dont want to sound like some little kid blaming “the bad Joe” for breaking the lamp. Hahaa.
I do think i will bring it up as a side note, just to be safe.
A whole other issue that just came to mind is the fact that the plant we worked at closed, but the corporate office is still in town with mostly a whole other crew of people who have never met me. This is the address and phone number i put down on my application. They probably have my employee records-but would know nothing first-hand of me. My immediate supervisor-he retired around the same time i got laid off and moved out of the state.
Im certain it all will work out in the long run.
Ok, to make a long story short, ive been looking for a month, after i was laid off due to the company closing. Ive been out around 4 days a week putting in applications everywhere-ive lost count as to how many ive put in to tell you the truth. Sitting around drawing unemployment is not my style-i need a job. Its driving me nuts.
Anyways-something just hit me. Where i worked at last was a guy with the exact same first and last name as mine, yet we were not related at all. While a nice guy on one side, he really was not the ideal employee and had been written up several times and was always in some sort of argument with management or other employees.
Is it possible that companies im applying at are calling my past employer-asking about me and they might be getting confused between the two of us? Could they be giving these companies im working at a bad review, because they are getting the two of us mixed up?
I know all that is a long shot………..
Also, i have a job interview today with a company i really want to work for. Should i possibly bring this up somehow? Should i tell them that if they call my previous employer to make certain they ask about the right “Joe Smith” (not my real name) because there was two of us there by the same name? Or would that sound dorky?
We do have different middle names, so hopefully this will help.
I just dont want to sound like some little kid blaming “the bad Joe” for breaking the lamp. Hahaa.
I do think i will bring it up as a side note, just to be safe.
A whole other issue that just came to mind is the fact that the plant we worked at closed, but the corporate office is still in town with mostly a whole other crew of people who have never met me. This is the address and phone number i put down on my application. They probably have my employee records-but would know nothing first-hand of me. My immediate supervisor-he retired around the same time i got laid off and moved out of the state.
Im certain it all will work out in the long run.
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3 Comments
I would absolutely bring it up, especially if you think you are losing jobs because of it.
As a side note, most employers don’t call references until after your first interview. Some use it as a screening tool for applicants, but it’s kind of a hassle to call around and most will wait until they see if they like you in person. Also, if you’re worried about it, have a friend call your previous employer and pose as a potential employer and see what they are saying about you. I have done that in the past just to see what the word is about me…
Depends, did you have the same boss? If the company closed you sould leave the name and number of your previous direct supervisor and call him to make sure he is aware that you are putting him down as a reference. As long as you left on good terms this should work. During interview if asked why you left be honest and when they call to check your reference they should have a very similar story.
Hopefully, your middle name is different. When you are extended a job offer contingent on references (like the previous answerer said, they don’t check references until they are READY to hire you), just say that there were two “Joe Smith”’s there and emphasize your middle name, hopefully that’s different. If even the middle initial is the same, emphasize your birthday. Hopefully that’s not the same as the “bad” “Joe Smith”.