Port of Tilbury-Police Constable

[torchwood 34]

Just a quick question I retired on ill health in June , I have had to have major surgery ( two new hips) and intend not to seek employment for a year or so, was looking in the future at something part time or working for free for a charity all seem to want references from employers , I have a certificate of service (exemplary) , do employers accept this as a reference???

If you do have to get references who do you put as by the time I apply most of my bosses would have retired or slid up the promotion ladder, has anyone had to get references from the Met, do you contact HR and they draft something from your PDR's ??? I do have some mates who I have worked with years ago who are CI or above can they do one even if they haven't been my line manager

Thanks

[longserver 0]

Serving Officers are supposed to get permission (from HQ) to provide any sort of personal reference as I understand it. Retired senior officers/supervisors do not have to so that could be an option. If a prospective employer will not accept the certificate of service then I suppose the HR dept is the only other possible source.

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

We were always told to pass on any requests for job references to HR to respond to. I had some embarrassing feed back from two ex civilian colleagues who had asked me. One said that they had 28 days to make the interview, it took 6 weeks for HR to return the reference. The other saw the 'reference' which just said, 'X worked for us from date to date as a (job). On leaving his conduct was considered satisfactory.'

Give that man a job!