Airports are required to check your employment over the preceding 5 years before a pass is issued. They tend to rely on the airlines chasing up the references then a signatory verifies this with them.

I would advise you put as accurate a date as possible on your references.
If you have the actual day and month/year then all well and good but I am sure a month/year would be sufficient. As long as there are no unexplained gaps between jobs, you should be fine.

If you have a gap between a job, which obviously a lot of people sometimes have, they ask for a personal reference for this period.

One of the reasons they need to account for what you have been doing is because you may have been out of the country at a terrorist camp apparently, or up to something dishonest.

People usually use the government records at HMRC if their previous employer no longer exists, which obviously can happen to small firms etc.

I've previously worked in an airside pass admin dept and as long as you have the rough dates that is fine. When your references are applied for the referees usually provide the correct dates, so it doesn't matter if your dates are exact or not but should be rough.

The HMRC are only to be contacted if you are self-employed and don't have an accountant/if a previous company no longer trades/it is extremely difficult to obtain a reference from a company.

When claiming benefits, the governing authority, eg the Job Centre for JSA will need to be contacted for a letter with your dates of claiming etc.

Okay well I'm just going to come clean about my entire situation then hopefully, I'm really hoping somebody can give me some good advice...


between 2007 and 2009 I worked for a bar in Gran Canaria and I was payed cash in hand, since then the bar has ceased trading and the owner has fled the island. The only person that can account for where I was working for how long was my old manager, who I am still in contact with on Facebook.

Between 2009-2011, my father died and I claimed JSA, on and off for two years, I was technically seeking a job, but I was being incredibly picky about it, I had fallen in to a deep depression and I only wanted something I would be truly happy with.

Between 2011-2012, I worked for a bar in Manchester, still in trading and the bar is happy to give me a reference.

Between 2012-present I work in a restaurant who are also happy to give me a reference.

When I applied for BA I kept hush about the employment gap as I would have to explain why and I did not want to reveal that I was depressed for a couple of years. I'm now a happy and upbeat person and I did not want BA to think otherwise. Also, HMRC will have no record of the job I had in Gran Canaria.

As you can see I'm in a bit of a mess and I am dreadfully worried that if I get the job, it could get withdrawn from me because of the above reasons.

Can somebody please help me with some advice? I'm really, really worried

It is often easier to help if you know the true facts.

HMRC don't care about the job in Gran Canaria. You were out of the country, earning money to which they have no claim.
The manager (who you are in touch with on FB) should be able to provide a reference as an employer. They could even provide a personal reference to account for your whereabouts during the 'blank period'.

Your periods of unemployment in the UK will be covered by HMRC as you were receiving JSA.

Your doctor could even explain some of the gaps caused by your depression and confirm you have recovered (understandable, as your father had passed away).

You would be amazed how many crew are on anti depressants. As long as this is disclosed to the employer and the medication is permitted, there should be no issue.

Simples!!

Good luck.

Thank you very much for the response, although I was never on any medication. I never wanted to take any as I thought at the time I could handle it on my own but looking back it was probably the wrong choice as it would have probably helped me come to terms with it a lot quicker.

As I said before I left the gap hush on my application, should I now login back to careers and edit my work history?

As long as you can account accurately for your gaps there should be no issues.

Anyone from BA who can advise?

Yes, if you can amend it do so.

Hi,

Would I need to provide a personal reference from my jobs or just a reference which would state that I worked there from x to z?

Because apparently employees are no longer allowed to provide personal references, unless I ask someone to provide me a reference as my manager for example...

So when applying for cabin crew, do i have to provide a personal reference from my jobs or just a reference stating the time I worked there?

Hello, I have few questions about the references they check:
In the last 5 years I had many jobs paid with cash in hand (about 5 jobs).To some of the employers I gave notice before I left the jobs and from some of the employers I left without any notice because we had some disagreements.
If I put all the jobs on my CV they will contact the employers and they will ask the reasons I have left the jobs?
If some of the employers will say something bad (just to hurt me)and that I left without notice ,will this affect the chance to get the job with the airline?
And is it bad to say that I have worked with cash in hand?(Before ,it was harder for me to get a job in the UK as a foreigner).
I hope someone can answer my questions.
Thank you!