Thread regarding Wells Fargo & Co. layoffs

Since you are still employed here you tell them to not contact your current manager. You can provide your own reference list.

yeah... big mistake... when my manager found out I wanted to posted out, my manager started working to manage me out and still is. Why? ego. lifer employees here have huge egos. my manager also managers well under the 7 and if I leave, my manager will be left with next to no direct reports.

Sigh.....candor is not your friend. Your manager is not your confidant. NOt sure if you are troll or clueless, but don't say anything. Look out for yourself - nobody else is going to have your back.

A good manager will help you on your way. A bad manager will help you on your way as well.

As a manager for Wells we are unable to give references. We can say if you are employed or how long you worked for the company but it is against policy to say more than that. To get around it you can ask your manager to give a personal reference.

Not all managers are evil. Good managers support your decision, great managers EXPECT you to leave and move on to bigger and better things and believe THEY failed you if you don't.

My manager is one of my very best friends and one of two people I'm not related to that I trust my kids with if something happened to me.

No, no, a thousand times NO. Don't tell your boss, and be very, very careful with coworkers - even those you think are friends.

In terms of references, think about former coworkers or former boss or a current co-worker... and don't provide names or permission to contact until you have a written offer that you have accepted. Offers are contingent on satisfactory reference check and that's the only point at which you offer up references.

This is one reason why I am against staying in one place for too long.

1. You have no viable references if needed. To those think they are a thing of the past you are partially correct. It's been about 50/50 for my jobs in the last 15 years.
2. You lose credibility that you know what you are doing outside of your company's processes and procedures.
3. You make less money
4. You project the image that you don't link change and are happy with the status quo.

Why the hell would you tell you boss?? What, so they can then use you as fodder and manage you out via PIP or other mechanism.

I did, out of frustration when I worked in the community bank. It was a train wreck and I was done. Truthfully, your manager can’t do anything about it. I wouldn’t say it’s a classy move but I did get a 10% raise two weeks after.
To be clear I’m still with the bank. In wholesale now.

Just mark as do not contact. By law, negative references cannot be given, but HR knows how to read between the lines. Instead, ask for a reference on LinkedIn or hold out until performance review. I've given managers as much as 6 months of advance and as little as a week's notice, but that was because of manager on PTO. Ultimately, it's a judgement call based on your relationship with a manager. Keep things in perspective and don't burn bridges unless they're so toxic, it's worth it. You always want to have the perception of doing what's right for the company because it can catch up with you otherwise. What goes around always comes back around.

When I applied for contract jobs, all they do is a background check through a third party agency. Sometimes I had to list at least 3 references when I applied online but then later found out nobody called them. I guess they just wanted refs for formality reasons. If you apply as a contractor, they will most likely not ask for references and they will just bring you on full time if they like your work and character.

The drawback of being a contractor is there is no stability (if company is just looking for someone to do temporary projects and assignments) and you will always be looking for that next job after a few months which can be tiring and stressful. Many contract agencies will not offer benefits or paid vacation. Also, as a contractor, you run the risk of ending up doing mundane work that nobody else at the company wants to do. Not much to add to your resume (even if the job title sounded great). Even the contract work at Google is boring and monotonous (no brain cells required).

Also in this unpredictable economy, you can go for months without work if you can't find your next gig once current gig ends. Hang on to your perm job for as long as you can!

Don't worry about references. Most places don't allow their managers to give references.

I told my boss when I started the process. He was cool with it and helped me work through a few things. Turns out, he was looking to. We put in our 2 weeks on the same day.

If you trust your boss, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell him/her.

You’d be a fool to work at WF and not keep on eye on other jobs given the current landscape.

There are other fin services hiring. Many other fin services in fact.

Nobody is going to expect you to use your current manager as a reference

Burned out? Yes, big banks do that. They don't care about the individual, it's all about what you can do for them. Get a job that suits you and never look back. Good luck.

It's great that you are taking care of your mental and physical health, instead of falling prey to the myth that we all just need to keep our heads down and stick it out.

Can't say this too strongly: Do NOT tell your boss you plan to leave. Wait, wait, wait until you get another job because (especially in this economy) it could take longer than you think. People change jobs every, single day – it's business, not personal. Unless your boss is a complete jerk, and as long as you leave without burning bridges, he/she should have no incentive to give you a bad reference. (That's assuming you need one.)

Besides, I think you are hoping to be helpful by giving a heads up but in truth... your news is possibly the last thing your boss wants to deal with right now. He/she is probably as stressed, if not more so, than you! Giving him/her more to deal with, in the midst of major restructuring and a pandemic, may not be appreciated. I could see your boss potentially wondering "Why are you telling me this? What do you expect me to do about it?"

Re: layoff... If there's a list and you are on it, then it's a sealed deal. I seriously doubt this would change anything, either way.

Final suggestion: At least one former colleague who quit without another job said "I'll just contract" and it was a little bumpy. Nothing against contracting, but if you haven't done it before please be sure to lay the foundation up front. Research agencies, check out open roles, network with the reps. It can take time to get your foot in the door. Once you are successful with one gig, it's a lot more straightforward because the agency will present roles to you, before even posting them online.

Hang in there, and good luck!

Agree with the others. Also at this point, your manager probably has no say in if you get fired other than your evaluation. If anything they are probably looking for an exit strategy too.

Don't say a word to anybody. Find a job and leave in a way that looks out for you first, but respectful to a two week notice if possible.

Yeah. Screw references. Dont tell anything to your manager. You are a traitor if you say that. They can also let you go as you are a leak/sabotage threat.

I would wait. I was a contractor for years and they don’t always ask for manager references, and usually when they do it’s because they’re about to offer you a job. It could be over a month before that happens. You’re probably not the only person looking. Play it cool for now.

References are mostly a thing of the past. I think it would be unlikely that anyone would contact your manager for a reference.