Heres what to do if you need a reference later after firing

Heres what to do if you need a reference later after firingHeres what to do if you need a reference later after firingWhether or not youre the reason it didnt work between you and your last job, youre gonna need a reference letter to help you land the next one. In an ideal situation, a letter of recommendation from a previous employer is the perfect way to advertise your assets via a third party source.Your resume gets you in the door, and a good reference letter can often seal the deal. Because professional vouches are so important heres a roundup of tips on how to acquire a reference letter from a scorned employer from some experts and a noted incompetent.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreGet em before you need emBefore we attempt to assist those that have already turned in their key cards, it might be good to share some sage advice to those that are both actively employed and a mbivalent.After youve worked at a distributions-mix long enough to prove your worth, it doesnt hurt to request a letter of recommendation before youve set your eye on a new gig for safety. This is prudent for several reasons. The first and most relevant this gives you a safety net in case of unexpected termination. It also gives you the freedom to accept potentially better opportunities completely on your own terms, without worrying about the effect of jumping ship. Moreover, who needs the headache of chasing down reference letters when youre in between jobs-no need you have one (maybe a couple even) locked and loaded.Strike while theyre still feeling guiltyEven Vader got a guilt headache after dismissing Admiral Ozzel,so chances are your last boss will too make sure you capitalize on it.Author Beth Winston of Chron.com writes, The person firing you probably is experiencing some guilt or emotional reaction to the turmoil that you are about to face. Remain polite and professional whe n you get the news of your firing, but ask immediately for a recommendation as a way to ease your transition into the job search. Some employers are concerned enough about the possibility of legal action that theyll do what they can to help.Along as you yourself are not in fear of the possibility of malicious comments, or accusations of illegal activity, you should certainly request referral information, as soon as possible, even if its crystal clear that your former employer hates you with a passion. It takes maybe five minutes to write up a perfunctory, whatta guyemployee reference letter.When they go low, you go high..or lower dependingIf playing to your firees humanity doesnt work, remember that you can always go higher or lower even. Unless you were an absolute incompetent menace, there will always be someone at your company that will have a good word to say about you. Of course, in a perfect scenario this said person is either in a position that is higher above, or in a potion comparable to the person that gave you the boot, but if not, take what you can get.Ashley Putnam of Idealist Careers adds, In any company you interact with multiple levels of people clients, co-workers, colleagues from another department. List someone who can speak to your virtues and strengths. You choose your references, and we anticipate you will choose someone who will speak about your strong points.If nothing can be done, address concerns immediatelyIn the instance where you cant secure a positive word from your employer, or anyone that would hold weight at your former firm, your only method of recourse is to defuse whatever spawned the rift as early as possible while being speaking to your next recruiter.Ralph Heibutzki of Career Trend, suggests the following Admit the problems, but stress that theyre not relevant anymore, and refrain from going into detail. Dont try to explain, or make excuses, which only digs the hole deeper.Repudiate any and all false claims, deflate any s cornful attempts of career stultification, and ensure you admirably represent the professional intimated in your resume.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people