Do you think it reflects badly on the applicant when they apply for a job and put down they do not want the present employer to be contacted?

Well, it depends. What explanation was given for not wanting the previous employer to be contacted?

If the person said they didn’t want the present employer to know they’re looking for a job, @cinnamonk.

It raises a flag. There are lots of reasons that employment may be verified besides a job search. If someone said “because I don’t want them to know I am seeking a job”, it would be okay, but the prospective employer could say they need to verify current employment.

It is always concerning if it seems an applicant is trying to hide something.

I don’t think that reflects badly on the applicant, in that case.

Well, it’s not like they can put “My boss has grabbed my ass for the last time and I need a change of scenery” on their CV.

No. It is perfectly understandable. If they don’t get the job, why should they lose the job they currently hold? Labour laws in the US are fucked up. When I was looking for work, I would put the name of a trusted co worker. They would attest to my work record and accomplishments and the idea of me looking for other work would not threaten my employment. I didn’t like working for an idiot who thought the moon landing was conspiracy and never happened.

I agree with @cazzie and think there are other legitimate reasons why an applicant would not want a potential employer to reach out to a previous employer.

It makes sense that many people have legitimate reasons for not wanting their current employer to know that they are seeking work elsewhere. A competent interviewer will of course ask the applicant for an explanation.

My last job the boss and I hated each other, so I said no but got along with one of the supervisors and a bunch of co-workers said said it was fine to contact them and they were more than fine with that.
As for looking bad not sure it might raise a flag but that is about it, if you have what they are looking for I think they will over look the fact you don’t want them to talk to your last boss.

I would try to spin it positive.

Say something like you are really happy with your current position but you would like to further your career and you could do that with the position you are applying for. And something like this is the only position you are applying for and you would rather not rock the boat at your current employer .

I hate the whole frame of mind of applying for employment and worrying about what the employer might think looks good or bad. It’s so degrading. Hopefully such a question would be a neutral courtesy and hold no weight or supposed subtle meaning to it. Every time an employer does hold weird prejudices about such things, it mainly just makes me think ill of the company culture and mindset.

The last three jobs I had, before retiring, specifically had a “No Comment” when asked about prior employees. They could only give general answers to dates of employment nothing else would be giving about the new employee’s history.

An applicant may want to keep their job search from the current employer.

I don’t think it looks bad. For some people, having the knowledge that they are actively looking for other work could negatively affect their relationship with their current employer. People may want to find a job before alerting their current employer to the idea that they are thinking of leaving. People might be open to moving but they want to find the right job first. Finding the right job for them might take a while.

I wouldn’t want a prospective employer to contact my current employer until they had confirmed they were going to make me an offer and I had expressed my agreement to that offer. Then it’s really a final step in confirming I do work where I said I do, in the role I claimed etc. It would make no difference once we’ve reached that stage of the process.