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Reference checks

Reference checks let you ask a candidate's previous employers to confirm their work history in writing. RecSphere emails the referee a one-time link, captures the response and stores it on the candidate record.

Before you request a reference, the candidate needs to consent to you contacting their referees. The standard compliance questionnaire includes a consent question for this. Send the questionnaire first and confirm the candidate has agreed before you raise any reference requests.

GDPR

Candidates must consent to references being requested; the questionnaire captures consent explicitly.

Requesting a reference​

Open the candidate record and go to the Compliance tab. Under References, do the following:

  1. Click Request reference.
  2. Enter the referee's details: name, job title, company, email address and phone number.
  3. Pick the date range the referee covers, for example "March 2022 to August 2024".
  4. Add an optional note that appears in the email to the referee.
  5. Send.

RecSphere emails the referee a secure one-time link. The link does not require a login or a RecSphere account.

The referee's view​

The referee clicks the link in their email and lands on a simple form hosted by RecSphere. The form shows:

  • The candidate's name and the dates they say they worked there.
  • A short set of structured questions, including job title, reason for leaving, performance and a free-text recommendation.
  • A confirmation that they are the person named in the request.

They fill the form in their browser and submit. There is nothing to install and no account to create.

Receiving and reviewing the response​

When the referee submits, the reference appears under the candidate's References list with a status of Received. Open it to see the full response.

You can:

  • Mark the reference as accepted, which counts towards the candidate's compliance status.
  • Flag a specific answer for follow-up, for example if dates do not match the candidate's CV.
  • Reject the reference and request a fresh one from a different referee.

The full response, including the referee's email and the date and time it was submitted, is stored on the candidate record.

Chasing an outstanding reference​

If a reference is taking too long, open the request and click Resend. RecSphere sends a new email with the same one-time link.

For repeating reminders without manual effort, switch on auto-chase for references. See Auto-chase for the full setup.