My now-former manager (who got promoted due to a reorg, but is still in my group) is linked to my colleagues and me on LinkedIn. It was great in some ways that they are no longer my manager, as they were a hardcore micro-manager, but bad because they’re driving a team whose technology and practices they knows nothing about, but I digress. Prior to the reorg, I received high raises and praise from their manager and also praise from my colleagues. I onboarded and supervised a colleague when asked, and received praise for that, too. With the reorg, I got moved to the far right of the group core (org chart-wise) and am reporting to a manager with a less-than-stellar reputation. I have heard (from peers) that my former manager is now talking badly about me and the quality of my work and now my new manager is also saying my former manager has said things about me, too - I don’t know my current manager nor do I trust them, so I won’t consider their opinion yet. I am applying for new jobs and am wondering if I should decouple from my former manager on LinkedIn. But if I do, I’m afraid they’ll ask why. I could block them but because of their links to other people, they could find out I blocked them. Suggestions?
I don’t get how unfriending them can help in any way other than maybe help you feel better. What’s wrong with leaving them as is? Just keep things positive when your old manager comes up. People talk and rumors spread. Don’t water the rumor weed. This is all a non-problem. Apply to new places and work on building rapport where you can. Sooner or later you will find a new opportunity away from your current manager.
Usually for the senior roles companies could a "back door" reference check where they research you and try to find on you, etc. Unless you are at a Director or higher level no company would even try to contact your previous employer except to verify you worked there as part of background check. Talking to ur prev manager officially if you haven't asked them to, is a major privacy intrusion and the receiving company will usually get a visit from your lawyer. Honestly most companies don't even bother to call references. As long as you pass the interview and don't have a criminal record they give a shit what you did in ur previous company. That said make sure your reference is positive in the oft chance they call. Bottom line, it doesn't matter.
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How would your potential employers know that she was your manager via LinkedIn?
Good point. I was thinking more along the lines of if a potential employer reached out to her and she was linked (via her network) to that employer.
That would be super unprofessional, to "out" you as a job seeker.