Recruiting template

Reference Check Email Template

A reference check email asks a referee to confirm what they know about a candidate, either on a short call or in writing, and tells them who you are, which role it is for and when you need a reply. Pick the version below for the step you are at, add your details and copy it.

Updated October 27, 2026

Fill in your details

Every version below updates as you type. A field left empty stays as a [placeholder] in the text you copy.

Candidate name

Role you are hiring for

Your company

Referee name

Referee company

How the referee knows the candidate

Candidate’s job title there

Dates the candidate gave

Times you can call

Length of the call

Number of referees you need

First question

Second question

Third question

Reply by

Your name

Your job title

Your email

Your phone number

Email versions open straight in your email app with the subject and text filled in. You add the recipient there.

Your company and sender details are remembered, so the next template starts with them filled in.

Note

Rules on references differ by country and state: they commonly cover candidate consent, data protection and, in places such as California, questions about pay history. In the US, reference checks run for you by a third-party agency can be investigative consumer reports under the FCRA, with disclosure duties. Check local law before you send; this is not legal advice.

Reference call request

When to use it: Asking a referee the candidate has named for a short phone or video call.

SubjectReference for [Candidate name]: [Role you are hiring for] at [Your company]

Dear [Referee name], [Candidate name] has applied for the [Role you are hiring for] role at [Your company] and has given your name as a referee, and told us you were [How the referee knows the candidate] at [Referee company]. Would you have [Length of the call] for a call? I'd like to ask about their work in that role and how they approached it. I'm free [Times you can call]; if none of those suit, send me a time that does. They have agreed to us contacting you, and anything you tell us will be used only for this hiring decision. Could you reply by [Reply by]? You can also reach me on [Your phone number]. Thank you for your help. Kind regards, [Your name] [Your job title], [Your company] [Your email]

Written reference request

When to use it: The referee prefers to reply in writing, or a call is hard to arrange across time zones.

SubjectWritten reference request for [Candidate name]

Dear [Referee name], [Candidate name] has applied for the [Role you are hiring for] role at [Your company] and has named you as a referee, as [How the referee knows the candidate] at [Referee company], and has agreed to us contacting you. If you're happy to give a reference, could you reply to this email with your answers to the questions below? A few sentences for each is plenty. 1. Can you confirm [Candidate name]'s job title and the dates you worked together? We have been told [Candidate’s job title there], [Dates the candidate gave]. 2. [First question] 3. [Second question] 4. [Third question] 5. Is there anything else you think we should know about how [Candidate name] works? We'd be grateful for your reply by [Reply by]. If you would rather talk it through, I'm on [Your phone number]. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [Your name] [Your job title], [Your company] [Your email]

Request for references (to the candidate)

When to use it: Asking the candidate, usually at the final stage or with a conditional offer, for the referees you will contact.

SubjectReferences for the [Role you are hiring for] role

Hi [Candidate name], Thank you again for your time through the process. The next step is references. Could you send me the details of [Number of referees you need] referees, including at least one person who managed you? For each, please give: Name Job title and company How they know you, and when you worked together Email address and phone number We won't contact anyone until you've confirmed they're expecting to hear from us, and we won't contact your current employer without your agreement. Could you send these by [Reply by]? If you have any questions about how we use references, just ask. Best wishes, [Your name] [Your job title], [Your company]

Employment verification request

When to use it: Writing to a former employer’s HR team, which may only confirm job title and dates.

SubjectEmployment verification: [Candidate name]

Dear HR team, [Candidate name] has applied for a role at [Your company] and has agreed to us verifying their previous employment with [Referee company]. Could you confirm the following? Job title: [Candidate’s job title there] Dates of employment: [Dates the candidate gave] If your policy is to confirm dates and job title only, that is all we need. If you use a verification service or need a signed consent form from [Candidate name], let me know and I'll arrange it. We'd be grateful for a reply by [Reply by]. Kind regards, [Your name] [Your job title], [Your company] [Your email]

Reminder to a referee

When to use it: A referee has not replied and the decision is waiting on them.

SubjectRe: Reference for [Candidate name]

Dear [Referee name], I'm following up on my email about a reference for [Candidate name], who has applied for the [Role you are hiring for] role at [Your company]. I know this lands on top of your own work. If a call is easier, [Length of the call] at any time that suits you would be enough, and I'm on [Your phone number]. If you'd rather not give a reference, a quick reply saying so is fine, and I'll let [Candidate name] know so they can suggest someone else. Thank you, [Your name] [Your job title], [Your company]

Thank-you to a referee

When to use it: After the call or written reference, to thank the referee and close the loop.

SubjectThank you for the reference for [Candidate name]

Dear [Referee name], Thank you for taking the time to give a reference for [Candidate name]. It was very helpful in our decision on the [Role you are hiring for] role. We'll use what you told us only for this hiring decision. Kind regards, [Your name] [Your job title], [Your company]

How to use this template

1Ask the candidate for referees first, and only contact people they have named and agreed to. Check before contacting a current employer.
2Pick the version for the step you are at: asking the candidate, requesting a call or a written reference, verifying dates with HR, chasing a reply or saying thank you.
3Fill in the fields above. Say in the email how the candidate described the referee’s relationship to them, so the referee knows which person and role you mean.
4Write two or three questions about the things the role depends on. The same questions for every candidate make the answers comparable.
5Give a date to reply by and offer a short call as an alternative; many referees find a call quicker than writing.
6Record what each referee said in a reference check form, so the notes sit with the rest of the hiring decision.

Mistakes to avoid

Contacting a referee the candidate has not named, or their current employer without permission.
A subject line without the candidate’s name, which makes the email easy to mistake for spam.
Asking a long list of open questions in writing; the referee puts it off and the decision waits.
Asking about the candidate’s pay. Some places, such as California, bar employers from seeking an applicant’s salary history, including through someone else.
Asking about health, family plans or other personal matters that have nothing to do with the job.
Treating a dates-only reply from HR as a bad reference. Many employers only confirm job title and dates as policy.

Questions

How do you write a reference check email?

Say who you are and which role the candidate has applied for, how the candidate described the referee’s relationship to them, that the candidate agreed to the contact, and what you are asking for: a short call at a set time or answers to a few questions. Give a date to reply by and your contact details.

What should the subject line of a reference check email say?

The candidate’s name, the word reference and, if there is room, the role and your company, for example "Reference for Priya Sharma: Finance Manager at Northwind". The referee needs to know at a glance it is not a sales email.

Is it better to ask for a reference by email or by phone?

Use email to make the request and a call to take the reference if you can, because you can ask follow-up questions. Offer written questions when the referee prefers it or a call is hard to arrange.

What if a referee does not reply?

Send one reminder offering a short call at a time that suits them. If there is still no reply, tell the candidate and ask them to nudge the referee or suggest someone else.

Can a former employer refuse to give a reference?

In many places, yes, and many employers only confirm job title and dates as policy. Rules differ by country and by sector, so treat a dates-only reply as neutral and check what applies where you hire.

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