
Ask HN: How to deal with angry ex-employers? - secondbestcoast
If you leave a large company HR will usually respond to background checks regardless of circumstances.<p>What do you do when a small company with no HR refuses to engage with future background checks, because for example you chose to call out some bad decisions to the management team and the wrong people on the team got offended and later came to control the company?<p>I dont want name and shame on Glassdoor because I know some good people working there and in general am not looking to cause any damage.
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theprotocol
\- Try and list people who work there, who are on your side, as references
when applying.

\- I know LinkedIn is hated, but in my experience, employers do check it. Ask
someone who is on your side to write a brief blurb about working with you
(it's a site feature, can't remember if it's called "reference" or something
else).

\- Maybe swallow your pride and try and smooth things over with the ex-
employers by sending them a positive sounding email wishing them the best of
luck, and mentioning how you enjoyed working with them. You might mention that
it was constructive for you to leave since you felt like you needed to move on
for personal reasons and it was for the best (a nice way of saying you
disagreed with them but no hard feelings). Do not mention
references/background checks or that you could need anything from them.
However, do mention that if they need something from you, e.g. some
explanation or document that they need, you might be able to assist them. If
they aren't terrible people, they might view this as a satisfactory answer to
their question of "what the hell was his problem?!" and give them something to
rationalize what they perceived as you being cranky, and thus put the drama to
rest ("he just needed to move on" or something to that effect).

~~~
secondbestcoast
This is good advice thanks.

