Hello Warren,
To clarify my advisor gave me a bad reference; the reference was oral and
not written. The reason I know this is that after working several months
at my new job, my boss said that she saw no reason why I shouldn't have
gotten my PhD. She also advised me never to ask for a reference from my
PhD advisor ever again; I asked why and she told me that she couldn't tell
me what she said (confidentiality), but it was a bad reference. I also
inferred from my interviews that she had given one person a good ref and
one a bad one at separate biotech companies.
I had no chioce but to ask her for a reference. As many people leaving
PhD programs know, they depend on that reference. It would also put up a
red flag to an employer if you had been a student under an advisor and had
not asked for a refernce. I am not going to get into what happened to me
in graduate school (another day), but I believe my advisor had something
personal against me. I had to retake my orals (several problems her,
mine, committee's), was scooped, and was trying so hard to work hard and
do well, but she grew colder and colder. I had no input except the
negativity that drove me out. I felt I needed to explain to you a
predicament that I was in. Furthermore, when I asked her for a reference,
she obliged readily. I was nervous though because I knew she would
potentially give me a bad reference; she had done so before with someone
else. To this day, I don't know what went on between us, nor do I care.
The damage was done and she tried to prevent me from getting a job.
I didn't learn until later that giving a bad reference is illegal. It is
illegal to slander, lie and personally attack someone in a written or oral
referece; it is called defamation of character. I haven't looked up the
specific statutes or common law on this issue, but I would be curious. At
any rate that is what I meant. Now quid pro quo: Why do YOU ask?
Jenn
On Tue, 19 Nov 1996, Warren Gallin wrote:
> In Article
> <Pine..A32.3.95.961118223853.79339A-100000 at homer16.u.washington.edu>, "J.
> Johnson" <siddo at u.washington.edu> wrote:
>> [material deleted]
>> > I have to admit now, that it was one of the best decisions
> >Iever made for myself and for my career. It was difficult, as I
> >necessarily had to overcome my advisor giving me a bad reference (which IS
> >illegal) and much mental anguish associated with the entire experience.
>> [more material deleted]
>> If you don't mind, could you clarify this statement a bit? If giving a bad
> letter of reference is illegal, why ask for letters of reference? Or are
> you saying that the circumstances of your interaction with your supervisor
> produced a situation in which the supervisor should not have been writing a
> letter?
>> Thanks,
>> Warren Gallin
> Department of Biological Sciences
> University of Alberta
> Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9
> Canada
>wgallin at gpu.srv.ualberta.ca>>
