•  What is your former boss telling a potential employer about you?

•  Allison & Taylor President Jeff Shane warns job hunters not to assume all is well with their references

(TRT is 25:49)

On paper, you may think you are a strong candidate for that job.  But even though the interviews seemed to go well, the phone remains silent.  Why?

It could be that a former boss – someone you may have put down as a reference – is saying things about you that are stalling your career.

Jeff Shane, president of Allison & Taylor Inc., says the so-called “neutral interview” can be anything but neutral.

While legal or corporate guidelines may say that a “no reference” policy only allows that your employment dates and titles can be confirmed, it is generally not illegal for a reference to offer negative commentary about you.

Even tone-of-voice can scuttle a job offer, Mr. Shane says.

Jeff Shane details the problem and offers ideas for job hunters in this Bizgnus podcast.