Do You Know If You Are Eligible for Rehire?

Leaving a job while in good standing with the company may be the ticket to your next job.

Whether your contract just ended, you left voluntarily, retired, were part of a layoff, or were terminated, it’s very likely that the recruiter or hiring manager for a future opening will check your references before agreeing to hire you.

Don’t rely on urban wisdom that nobody takes reference checks seriously, or that HR people won’t give a negative reference to avoid a potential lawsuit. The truth is companies conduct reference checks to avoid hiring mishaps. And companies do take references seriously.

An HR department representative might choose not to comment on your overall performance during a reference check. But, when asked whether you are “eligible for rehire,” that same person will have no problem answering the tell-tale question.

Not doing everything in your power to ensure a positive response (especially if you are a contractor concerned about your next assignment) can derail your applications for future employment. So, prepare early!

For example, to gather well-rounded feedback on candidates, leading companies have begun conducting 360° reference checks by interviewing the person the applicant reports to, as well as one or two peers, and a colleague who presently reports to the candidate.

What does this mean for you? Strive each day to make a positive impact on those around you, at various levels!

Ensure Your Own Rehire Eligibility

Most company policies specify criteria for rehire eligibility, such as: length of time an employee spent with the company, quality of the individual’s work, documentation that the candidate left the company in good standing, as well as proof of an individual’s ability to meet new job specifications, if rehired.

To make sure you will be eligible for rehire, take the following steps:

1. While still on the job, make yourself valuable to the organization. Work each day to exceed your employer’s expectations by excelling at what you were hired to do and going beyond expectations where practical.

Employees with unsatisfactory reviews are not typically eligible for rehire. So, be sure to pay attention to details, deliver projects on time, review and correct your work before submitting it, and keep excellent records. It would also be helpful to plan ahead for your off-boarding by presenting your supervisor with information and/or materials to assist in transitioning your workload or documentation to appropriate personnel.

2. Be sure to return all company property when off-boarding. That includes files, work products, key cards, cars, computer or other technical equipment, and business records. Ask for a checklist of items requiring return, and be sure to check off each item before you leave.

3. Always follow company policies, such as those addressing work hours, attendance, break time, PTO, vacation, medical absence, confidentiality, workplace health and safety, etc. Always provide advance notice and obtain permission when you need to miss work. In the event of illness or emergency, give notice in accordance with specified protocol.

4. If you‘ve been lucky enough to skate by with a warning after an unfortunate breach of policy, heed that warning and refrain from further policy violations. Violation of company policy—especially when it leads to involuntary termination—is a serious mistake and will leave you ineligible for rehire.

5. It should go without saying, but for the sake of thoroughness, we stress that illegal or unethical behavior leaves even talented workers ineligible for rehire and will undermine future job search efforts. Take your reputation seriously. It is one of your most precious business assets.

6. Be relentless with success efforts and sincere about resolving problems. If you’ve had difficulties at work, don’t quit while you can still meet goals and/or improvement markers. Learn what’s needed for success and work through your improvement plan. Final impressions count, too.

7. Most employers check LinkedIn profiles before hiring, so commit in advance to continual updates and interaction on that platform. If you maintain a LinkedIn page, be sure to give worthy colleagues a recommendation. They will most likely return the favor, which will add to your own credibility.

8. As we say at Elite Technical, our reputation means everything to us. (We know how much our integrity and high level of transparency counts with our corporate employees, contractors and clients.)

So, when relying on colleagues to provide references for you, be aware that their reputations are on the line, too. HR and hiring managers may temper their recommendations to ensure that their own reputations within the industry are not tarnished by injudicious compliments.

How to counter that? Cultivate excellent relationships in and beyond the workplace. Be trustworthy. Keep your word. Don’t gossip. Don’t pass blame. Use good judgment and conduct yourself in ways that leave merit- and integrity-based positive impressions.

For example, Socrates, the Greek philosopher, advocated putting information through three filters before sharing it: truth, goodness, and usefulness. Before deciding what information to share, it’s helpful to ask yourself questions, such as, “Is it true? Does passing this information serve a good purpose? Will it help the recipient to know this?” The answers will probably keep you from making the kind of mistakes that can damage reputations.

9. Ensuring a good reference should stay top of mind. Maintain a reputation for diligence, honesty, integrity and great work. When making decisions, also use the lens of “Will this action or outcome reflect well and help me get a good reference?”

10. Finally, if you are a contractor on assignment, feel free to ask your Recruiter how to make sure you are eligible for rehire with your staffing agency.

Before starting a new job search, be sure to verify your rehire eligibility with prior companies, especially if you intend to use those companies as references.

Also, be sure to download the Elite Technical Jobs App at the Apple App Store or via Google Play for quick access to our newest job postings.

And feel free to stay in touch with Elite Technical Recruiters by signing up for the Elite Technical Network. We look forward to hearing from you! E-mail us at info@elitetechnical.com. Or call 1-800-ELITE-50.