More and more people are finding themselves in a position where they are having to apply for a job. It may have been that you have been in employment for a number of years but following the lockdown period, the company you worked for may have had to close or make cuts. There are a lot of people in the same position so competition for jobs is high.

When applying for a job you will more than likely be asked to provide at least one reference. They will usually want one from your current employer and possibly one from a previous employer. A job reference is basically a letter or verbal confirmation that you attended a place of work for a certain period. The reference may also include information on your skills and the work you did for the previous company. The idea of a reference is to give the prospective employer an idea of what kind of worker you are.

People can refuse to give you a reference but usually will not unless they have a valid reason not to.

They can detail information such as disciplinary details etc, but all the information they give has to be true.