I recently faced a challenging situation during a job interview where I was asked if the company could contact my previous manager for a reference. I was laid off from my last job, where my manager was the CEO, and I have serious concerns about her ability to provide a fair reference. She often spoke negatively about former employees, regardless of their actual performance, creating a toxic work environment. When the interviewer asked about contacting her, I felt caught off guard. I didn't want to outright say no, but I also couldn't say yes enthusiastically. I awkwardly smirked and rolled my eyes, eventually saying 'sure,' but I know that wasn't the best response. Moving forward, I want to be better prepared for similar questions. I'm considering providing references from my colleagues instead, who can speak positively about my work. Any advice on how to handle this in the future would be greatly appreciated.