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[randomlife]

I am applying for a lecturer position in a UK university. Just went through a skype interview and now they are asking for reference letters. My question is: how likely is that they will short-list me for an onsite interview? I guess I wanted to know if asking references is a standard procedure or they only ask for letters if they are interested in inviting you for onsite. Comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[expatinuk]

It seems to be pretty common here in the UK not to demand references prior to a job offer. As has been mentioned here it's a small country and everyone knows everyone and many folks don't want their current employer to know they are looking until they have an offer.

If you indicated that you were willing to have them ask your references prior to a job offer they will ask. It's not a plus or a minus... it just is.

[randomlife]

Thanks. The application form has an option says "May we approach the referee without consulting you beforehand?". I answered yes to one of my referees. They ended up asking me if they can obtain references from all my referees. Not sure this adds more information though.

[drspouse]

Because the application process is often very rapid (days between interview and offer, or less, and a very short time to accept an offer), the HR departments like to have their ducks in a row before interviewing people; it's awkward when they have to say "pending references" and even more awkward when they have to chase someone's PhD supervisor who retired to Outer Sylvania.

It's unusual to ask for the reference for which you ticked "please do not approach" unless they are moving forward with the process, though, and in fact I'd say unusual unless they are actually going to make you an offer. Though it may be a ducks-in-a-row situation because they could wait until they were further forward and ask again, if the interviewee said no.

[scotia]

I am applying for a lecturer position in a UK university. Just went through a skype interview and now they are asking for reference letters. My question is: how likely is that they will short-list me for an onsite interview? I guess I wanted to know if asking references is a standard procedure or they only ask for letters if they are interested in inviting you for onsite. Comments will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I am currently involved in a search. One problem I have found in three of the four universities I have worked for is that HR work at a different speed to the rest of us - a chat with the HR person yesterday revealed that they still have not asked for any references for one candidate, and yet we have four for another (we only require three).

Were you explicitly told that this was a pre-screening interview and not the fully interview? We are currently involved in interviewing, and the interviews via Skype are the real deal, and will not be followed by an on-site interview: we are making a decision after this set of interviews. In these financially straitened times, I know of several UK universities that are not flying in candidates from overseas unless they are offered the job.

[randomlife]

Many thanks for all the replies and comments.

@scotia: The job ad saids there will be an onsite interview following the skype interview. I was asked for references after the skpye interview. So I'm a bit anxious and trying to get clues whether asking for references implies anything.

[expatinuk]

So I'm a bit anxious and trying to get clues whether asking for references implies anything.

Best way to deal with it is... No, it doesn't imply anything. Just like asking for copies of your certificates doesn't imply anything.

[scotia]

Many thanks for all the replies and comments.

@scotia: The job ad saids there will be an onsite interview following the skype interview. I was asked for references after the skpye interview. So I'm a bit anxious and trying to get clues whether asking for references implies anything.

In that case - as expat says. Trying to read the non-existent nuances in the recruitment process will rapidly send you insane.

[randomlife]

Thanks all, I got the interview!

[scotia]

Thanks all, I got the interview!

Congratulations! There are several threads lying around here on the format of UK interviews - they are often very different to those in the US.