“What can I do if I need references but my supervisor from my previous job has moved on?”

If your former supervisor has retired or moved to a different company, call or reach out privately on social media to see if they might still be willing to act as a reference for you. You can still use that person as a reference.

Sometimes you may have no idea where your former supervisor has gone. If you worked at a larger company with a human resources section, it will keep files about past employees. A potential employer can always contact them to ask for details about your time at the company.

What would you like to know?

An alis staff member will review your question and respond via email. If it’s something that can help others look for work, explore careers, or succeed on the job, a version of your question and answer may even be added to the site.