Glowing reference?
Topic(s): Office Politics
Submitted by: krazymike – Fri, 10/31/2008 – 10:19
I had an instructor in college who encouraged us to use him as a reference, provided we talk to him first. I talked with him, and he assured me he would be a good reference for me.
A year of job-searching later, I finally land a job (after graduation). I send out thank you emails to all my references, thanking them for their help in being positive references for me.
My instructor replies and lets slip that he didn't think a couple of the positions were right for me. I ask him for a little more information, and he says that one particular Oracle programmer position didn't sound right for me. Seeing as he was the Oracle instructor, I call that employer's HR department and inquire about his particular reference.
Turns out, he downplayed my database skills, and mentioned to her what classes he taught and that he was looking to re-enter the professional sector.
Nice, by letting his students use him as a reference, he was getting prospective employers to call him about available positions in his technical and geographical area.
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Comment: Get the word out
Best thing to do, is get the word out on the campus in some manner. Let the others that are in his classes, and will think of using him as a reference what his tactic is.
In time, his classes should be smaller and smaller, as people learn of his deceptive nature.
Genxcat – Mon, 11/03/2008 – 10:39
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Comment: Glowing reference?
The actions of this instructor sound are unethical and sound potentially illegal. I'm certain the college has a policy regarding this (unhappy grads links to reduce incoming tuitions).
I would file a notice with the college informing them of this activity and he could very well find himself "needing" a job.
Being such a small industry, I'd have a few people filing similar charges and have all my ducks in a row.
Anonymous – Wed, 11/05/2008 – 11:32
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Comment: Talk to the dean. This is a
Talk to the dean. This is a violation of academmic integrity.
Anonymous (not verified) – Thu, 11/06/2008 – 08:13
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Comment: Good friends like that are hard to lose
Way back when I was the repair technician for a computer store. One day I got a long distance call with an offer for a better paying job as a contractor at the local city hall offices.
I told the headhunter that I was interested and I would be their employee in a heart beat.
Then I didn't hear from the company and figured that they had found another person.
6 years later my work "friend" out of the blue tells me "too bad that I never took that job with so and so" I asked how they knew I had accepted a position and I had never heard anything back.
He admitted to answering the phone one day when that firm had called and told them I wasn't interested any more and please don't call again.
That floored me and I never talked to that work person again for doing that stupid thing.
I should have given the company my home phone to call but didn't think it was necessary. I was wrong I see now.
Fritz (not verified) – Thu, 11/06/2008 – 09:31
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Comment: not the first time
sad (!) but true. short version of a well known topic: "those that can't, lie" revisited... after finding that the repeated crashes of a 1m$ Neve audio board occur when we leave for coffee or lunch, don't I find ungrounded floor tiles in the equipment room. I return to get tools from my box when I find my supervisor triumphantly announcing 'his' discovery to a row of shirts. I quit, wiser.
jonesy – Thu, 11/06/2008 – 10:13
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Comment: Public exposure for bad instructors
From Time Magazine's 2008 50 best websites:
"Whether you're deciding between French teachers or you just want to vent about last semester's lousy history lecturer, Rate My Professors is the place to go."
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/
Anonymous – Thu, 11/06/2008 – 08:49
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Comment: Since you've already graduated
Since you've already graduated, I would request a meeting with both the Dean and the President. Then I would tell them your story and ask them to investigate how widespread the problem is.
The investigation would be quick and result in a "resignation".
If that doesn't happen you could find a lawyer willing to take a contingency lawsuit against the instructor and the school.
Anonymous – Thu, 11/06/2008 – 09:19
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Comment: Definitely sounds unethical
On the other hand, I had a teacher who was painfully ethical. She told her students that she was happy to be a referenece as long as we asked her first.
If we didn't ask her permission, her references always started with, "Well, when he showed up for class AND he was sober..."
Anonymous – Thu, 11/06/2008 – 09:39
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Comment: RateMyProfessor Revenge
My intention is not to advertise another web site, but if I were you I would post your experience on rate my professor, letting any other potential student know what type of guy they are learning from.
Sometimes the best revenge is the truth.....
Anonymous – Thu, 11/06/2008 – 10:03
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Comment: I don't usually preach "revenge", but here it's warranted!
The thing to be done is to find out more students who went through the same humiliation, gather their signatures (or at least some consent) and then let those who are his students now know that he is deceitful.
To make things more diplomatic, let the students ask the teacher whether he is willing to serve as reference, but never actually use him - and let the prospective employers know who he is and why this is being done!
Finally, go to the dean of the institution and let them know they are also being cheated!