[tdicola]

That's why you list references from your last job and people call them to see what kind of person you were while there.

[foolfoolz]

reference checks are useless. if you list HR they can only confirm employment. If you list your friends they going to say good things. if you list anyone else you are doing it wrong

[user5994461]

You never list references from your last job.

You don't want your future company to call your current company to give them a heads up that you are leaving.

For this very same reason, companies never ask for reference from your current job.

[mdpye]

In the UK, you tend to get an offer conditional on references, and you only provide them once you've given notice to your current place.

[user5994461]

That's absolutely not what's meant by "listing references". The OP is talking about listing reference, possibly on his resume or on-request, to companies he's prospecting.

The UK has a custom to perform an employment and criminal check by a 3rd party company when you join a new company (after you signed a contract and already gave your notice). That's unrelated.

[macspoofing]

>For this very same reason, companies never ask for reference from your current job.

Sure they do. They just give you an offer first and make it conditional on a reference check.