References - help!

[Whickerman]

My brother has applied for a new job, and passed the interviews. The new company are ready to make an offer of a job, but they have some pretty funny (and a bit odd) rules over references. They will only accept past employers - not his present employers, not his sports teams, not even some charity work he did. The problem is he started work in his present employment straight out of school, and has no past employers except a part time shop job. Now the shop owners are happy to help, but the new employer won't accept anyone else he's offered. Can you think of any way around this?

[Ethel]

I suggest he writes to the company stating he cannot provide previous references from previous employers as he has been in his present job since leaving school, and list alternative references, giving their names, addresses, positions and relationship to your brother.

There is nothing else he can do.

[Whickerman]

Thanks a million Ethel - sound advice as usual. This is an example of the maddening bureaucracy that follows large corporations.