7 ms·

Ask HN: I think I am being black listed

I was fired from my previous job at a corp and now after spending months searching I am unable to find a new one. I believe the reason is that I am being black listed. Has anyone gone through a similar situation? or do you know someone who has been recruiting and got told from a superior or a colleague not to hire certain person ?

vtesucks 8y ago
What industry is this? Some industries do blacklist. IT doesn't
- throw_awayplx 8y ago
  IT
- Babycino 8y ago
  I am software developer, with experience doing web applications.
  - vtesucks 8y ago
    Then very unlikely. I'd say no way.
  - godot 8y ago
    Just so you know, in case you actually are the OP, you used a throwaway account in your original post but your (maybe) real account in this reply. (But looks like this real account is relatively new and has very few posts anyway)
sethammons 8y ago
I'm not familiar with some kabal that keep a blacklist. However, potential employers will check references and will call previous employers. If you've burned bridges, that could be coming back to haunt you. I believe one question that can be asked is, "would you rehire this person?" If the answer is "no," then you could have a big barrier. Smaller startups/companies are less likely to check with your previous employers. Maybe try more of them. When you say you can't find a new role, are you not getting any interviews or are you not landing the jobs post interview? It could be that you need to work on your interview skills. Or it could be that you need to retool your skill sets. There is not enough info to say much on that. Again, I've never experienced black listing on the interview side. But, depending on the community, people do talk. If someone knows people at a previous employer of yours, they might ask them about you. Also, it matters how you present being fired to the potential new employer. It is viewed as more risk to take on someone who got fired vs someone who left on their own terms. Best of luck.
- samuraiseoul 8y ago
  I'm not a hiring manager by any means, but if OP wants to check if this is the case, couldn't he have a friend call up his employers/references to see if one of them is saying bad things? I think it may be a smart way to go.
awareBrah 8y ago
What were you fired for? Could be the reason
johnpython 8y ago
Have you tried applying for remote jobs?

vtesucks 8y ago

What industry is this? Some industries do blacklist. IT doesn't

throw_awayplx 8y ago
IT
Babycino 8y ago
I am software developer, with experience doing web applications.
- vtesucks 8y ago
  Then very unlikely. I'd say no way.
- godot 8y ago
  Just so you know, in case you actually are the OP, you used a throwaway account in your original post but your (maybe) real account in this reply. (But looks like this real account is relatively new and has very few posts anyway)

sethammons 8y ago

I'm not familiar with some kabal that keep a blacklist. However, potential employers will check references and will call previous employers. If you've burned bridges, that could be coming back to haunt you. I believe one question that can be asked is, "would you rehire this person?" If the answer is "no," then you could have a big barrier. Smaller startups/companies are less likely to check with your previous employers. Maybe try more of them. When you say you can't find a new role, are you not getting any interviews or are you not landing the jobs post interview? It could be that you need to work on your interview skills. Or it could be that you need to retool your skill sets. There is not enough info to say much on that. Again, I've never experienced black listing on the interview side. But, depending on the community, people do talk. If someone knows people at a previous employer of yours, they might ask them about you. Also, it matters how you present being fired to the potential new employer. It is viewed as more risk to take on someone who got fired vs someone who left on their own terms. Best of luck.

samuraiseoul 8y ago
I'm not a hiring manager by any means, but if OP wants to check if this is the case, couldn't he have a friend call up his employers/references to see if one of them is saying bad things? I think it may be a smart way to go.

awareBrah 8y ago

What were you fired for? Could be the reason

johnpython 8y ago

Have you tried applying for remote jobs?