Bad reference/no reference - will you never work again?

You cannot change the past, and you must not lie, but you can change the future. You must, at some point, tell the prospective employer that your previous employer will not give you a positive reference. Explain what happened, admit to guilt if you did something wrong, and say you have learned that lesson and will not repeat that behavior again. Find a prior employer who will give you a positive reference, and use them instead. Eventually, there will be an employer who will give you another chance on these terms. If. however, you do not preempt the bad reference by admitting that it is there and that you have some fault, you will never get away from it either.

You can break the cycle, but not by hiding anything. You've got to be straightforward with your new employer, and explain exactly why things didn't go well at your last job. Then, it's up to them to decide whether to give you a chance. The problem is that you need to overcome the image that you're a troublemaker or a bad worker. The only thing that your previous employer is required to do is to verify that you actually worked there, but he can make it sound as good or bad as they like.

If you can't break in easily, take a job somewhere that they're desperate to hire. There are always the unwanted jobs that have trouble hiring enough people. They'll give you a chance and you need to make sure that you don't repeat your errors from the past.

You can do two things. You can leave that company off of your resume or alert the potential employer to the way your previous company has been behaving. Nothing is ever permanent. Some companies will only tell a new employer or potential employer that you worked for them and the dates. You can thank a lawyer for that behavior. Some companies who have given a poor reference to former employees have been sued, so they make it a policy to give as little information as possible to any one who checks.

Some employers are not thorough in checking references so this may enable a person to get hired, thus breaking the cycle. Alternatively try putting someone else down as your reference for the company that is likely to give you a bad one.

A lot of places on their application will ask if they may contact the old job as a reference and just say no. The new place cannot call that place then. Just make sure you have other refreneces that will give you a positive reference. I got fired from a job and now I have a new one. You just have to be persistant and you will find one with the right fit for you.

If there was specific problem with your old employer that caused you to leave etc then you need to advise your new employer of this and what happened etc. If you are talking about yourself here I really would not worry, I have worked with people who have been sacked for gross misconduct (bullying, harrassment) and they have all gone onto work again in the same industry!. Clearly, it depends on what the issue was, stealing, violence etc - then you may have a problem. Generall office differences and conflicts - you should be fine. Just be honest from the start - tell your next employer there may be a problem with my reference because............

You don't have to use a previous employer as a reference. If you're a member of a church, as your clergy person. If you volunteer, ask your "boss" there. You can also use friends and family as references. In other words, who else can vouch for you as a good person?

i was dismissed under my ex-employers gross-misconduct rules..even though director of company in a informal meeting offered help as he said it was all done wrong ..and offered help as far as good reference..etc...dismissed because i did a better job then 80% of there other managers..and i can't do jack about it...laws in this country are so wrong..

Obtaining temporary work through an employment agency or undertaking voluntary work for as short period would be a way round it.

you could leave a gap in your cv (not really allowed i don't think) but that may be better than a bad reference.

i don't think you are allowed to give someone a bad reference, i think you have to decline to give one instead.