Ask HN: Any way around not using current CTO as a job reference?
My last gig was a startup. CTO recruited and hired me promising ownership of product and minimal micromanaging.<p>Everything went well for a couple of months, but it went crazy in 2022.<p>Basically, the CTO gets distracted with anything new and flashy. He sees some new language or framework, we wants us to build a prototype with it. If a competitor has a certain feature, he wants us to add it. He is willing to change priorities to make those kinds of things happen, but they are almost always unproductive and a waste of engineering time. My team and and I aren&#x27;t being set up for success.<p>Eventually, I was let go and was replaced by an employee who used to work for me and who is perfectly willing to do whatever the CTO demands.<p>Now, I&#x27;m starting to look for my next gig. I imagine prospective employers will want to talk to my previous CTO as a job reference. That will not go well.<p>Is there something I can offer in place of a CTO reference check?