I'm not suggestng you fake references. I'm suggesting he find out what referees have to say, by getting a friend to ask them for a reference. There is nothing

I'm not suggestng you fake references. I'm suggesting he find out what referees have to say, by getting a friend to ask them for a reference. There is nothing dishonest about finding out what a potential referee has to say about you, and how. It's certainly no more dishonest than the hundreds of agents who try to insist on references before interviews - because they're using them for lead generation. If it's an ex-employer, as many are, it's not unheard of for them to give minimal or less than glowing reference simply because theyre still unhappy you left and nothing to do with your skills and personality. To use a referee without being as sure you're using the best names from the possibles is foolish.