Dear Annie: Is it all right to try to warn a prospective employer that someone they’re thinking of hiring is really bad at his job? A colleague of mine is job hunting and has apparently given me as a reference (without my permission). This puts me in a really awkward position, because I know firsthand that he is constantly blowing off work, missing deadlines, and making the whole team look bad.
On the one hand, it will be nice to get rid of him, so I hesitate to say anything that would compromise his ability to get another job. But on the other hand, I feel I should be honest when asked and say something about what he’s really like. Your thoughts, please? — Rock and a Hard Place
