Help! What's the difference between these 3 terms?

[megalicious]

I'm listing references in an online form and have to choose from a drop-down for the relationship to reference... 3 of the choices have me baffled:

-Coworker
-Peer (Or Colleague)
-Fellow Employee

What's the difference???

[zarapipe]

Coworker- close working relationship with
Peer- same department
Fellow employee- same organization?

haha I'm not really sure, but if you had to break it down that is how I would do it.

[Norticprincess]

Nov 21, 2012 13:08:15 GMT -5 megalicious said:

I'm listing references in an online form and have to choose from a drop-down for the relationship to reference... 3 of the choices have me baffled:

-Coworker. Same department
-Peer (Or Colleague). Same field for peer. (Think peer review) Colleague same company, same field maybe in a different department maybe same department
-Fellow Employee. Same company different field

What's the difference???

For the reference menu coworker if you work with them. Peer if you collaborate with them on outside projects

[Deleted]

That is weird to me that those are 3 different options.

Without looking at those categories, how would you describe each of your references? I would go with those answers.

ETA: I like the way norticprincess described them.

[heyrebekah]

Nov 22, 2012 10:00:29 GMT -5 @songforyou said:

I'd think of a coworker as someone with whom I work regularly; a peer as someone who is on my level, i.e., neither of us is superior to the other; and a fellow employee is someone within the company.

I agree with this, and I think a peer can also be someone at a different company in a similar role, like maybe someone you knw from an industry organization.

[thatgirl]

I think this is a hidden personalty test created by a crazed HR employee. lol

[MixedBerryJam]

Nov 21, 2012 13:08:15 GMT -5 megalicious said:

I'm listing references in an online form and have to choose from a drop-down for the relationship to reference... 3 of the choices have me baffled:

-Coworker
-Peer (Or Colleague)
-Fellow Employee

What's the difference???

My non-scientific definitions:
Coworker works with you on a regular, common (if not daily) basis and may be above or below you in the org chart. So the secretary, the consultant, the boss and the copy machine operator are all coworkers.

Peer or colleague has a similar relative position to you inside or outside your organization: a cancer researcher in a different department, or a researcher in a different organization are peers. I sort of think of colleagues as within the same organization, peers as from outside.

Fellow Employee: works for the same company. Walmart cashier in Fresno is a fellow employee with Walmart stockroom guy in Madison, WI.

What I find odd about the choices is that there's no option that indicates someone higher up the ladder than you; I mean, I usually like to get references from current or former bosses, and like to make it known that X boss thought I was a good "underling".