Dear J.T. & Dale: Please give me some advice on what to do when a prospective employer calls my former employer and they say, “Not available for rehire.” What do employers think when hearing this? Am I black-listed? – Tara

J.T.: Not knowing the specifics of why you were let go, here is my overall suggestion: Make an appointment to meet with one or more of your local temporary-staffing companies and be frank with them about your situation. They are going to want to hear that whatever happened at your old job won’t happen again, so be prepared to be honest and talk about how you plan to make sure it won’t. From there, ask them if they would be willing to put you on some short-term assignments so you could work again, and in turn, get a positive hiring recommendation you can use.

Dale: Yes, that will let you put some distance between your application and the “no rehire” hit. You can also inoculate against the latter by recruiting colleagues from that company who’ll say great things about you. Remember that a hiring manager’s first duty is to prevent a bad hire, so it’ll be up to you to assemble evidence that will let them conclude that you’re worth the risk.

J.T.: Finally, swallow your pride and start networking with all of your family and friends. I know it’s hard to do this in these circumstances, but the reality is that only people who know you well and can vouch for your true character are going to be able to sell you as a good hire.