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Requesting a Reference for a Candidate email template

You can use this template when you’re in the final stages of the hiring process and are considering making a job offer to your candidate. Be sure to make changes to this template to fit your brand.
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Why does it matter?

You’re in the final step of the hiring process and you are interested in researching to see if the candidate is really the best fit for the job. Former employers and colleagues of the candidate can provide some valuable insights that can help you make a more informed hiring decision.

When to send?

Please note that if you haven't been given a list of recommended references from the candidate, make sure to seek permission before approaching anyone as you might be in violation of data protection rules if you do not obtain the candidate’s consent.

What to include?

Employers are not obligated to provide a reference for a former employee so their time is important. Be sure to ask them specific questions to get the information you need about the candidate’s past work experience and behavior such as:

  • Why did [Candidate Name] leave your company?
  • What were [Candidate Name] main responsibilities?
  • How did [Candidate Name] respond to feedback?
  • What skills do you think [Candidate Name] could improve on?
  • How did [Candidate Name] handle stressful situations?
  • Were there any behaviors that impacted [Candidate Name] job performance? (Ex. tardiness, missed deadlines, or conflict with team members)
  • Given the opportunity, would you rehire [Candidate Name]?

Template Email

Email subject line: Could you please provide a reference for [Candidate Name]?

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I am [Your Name] from [Company Name]. We’re in the process of hiring for a [Job Title] and one of your former employees, [Candidate Name], has made it to the final stage of our hiring process.

To ensure we're making the right decision, we would like to gather more information before making a final decision. We're contacting you because [Candidate Name] suggested you as a reference. I would be grateful if you could tell me about your overall experience working with [Candidate Name] and whether you’d recommend [him/her] as a potential employee.

I have prepared some questions to help you reflect on your experience with [Candidate Name]. 

  • Why did [Candidate Name] leave your company?
  • What were [Candidate Name] main responsibilities?
  • How did [Candidate Name] respond to feedback?
  • What skills do you think [Candidate Name] could improve on?
  • How did [Candidate Name] handle stressful situations?
  • Were there any behaviors that impacted [Candidate Name] job performance? (e.g. tardiness, missed deadlines, or conflict with team members)
  • Given the opportunity, would you rehire [Candidate Name]?

Please let me know when you are available for a brief discussion. Can you also confirm the following number provided by [Candidate Name] to reach you, [Insert Phone Number].

As another option, you can also reply to our questions via email if that is more convenient.

All our communications will be confidential.

Thank you very much for your time.

Best regards,
[Your Name] 
[Your Job Title] 
[Company Name]

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Bill Twinning
Talent Resources & Development Director - Charoen Pokphand Group
Manatal is the best ATS we worked with. Simplicity, efficency and the latest technologies combined make it an indispensable tool for any large-scale HR team. Since its adoption, we've seen a huge increase across all our key recruitment metrics. To summarize. it is a must-have.
Ahmed Firdaus
Director - MRINetwork, Executive Search Firm
I've been using Manatal for the past couple of months and the platform is excellent, user-friendly and it has helped me a lot in my recruitment process, operation and database management. I'm very happy with their great support. whenever I asked something they come back to me within minutes.
Dina Demajo
Senior Talent Acquisition - Manpower Group
Manpower has been using Manatal and we couldn't be happier as a team with the services this platform has provided. The application is extremely user-friendly and very well equipped with all the useful functions one would required for successful requirement. The support team is also excellent with very fast response time.
Kevin Martin
Human Resources Manager - Oakwood
Manatal is a sophisticated, easy-to-use, mobile-friendly, and cloud-based applicant tracking system that helps companies achieve digitalization and seamless integration to Linkedin and other job boards. The team at Manatal is very supportive, helpful, prompt in their replies and we were pleased to see that the support they offer exceeded our expectations.
Maxime Ferreira
International Director - JB Hired
Manatal has been at the core of our agency's expansion. Using it has greatly improved and simplified our recruitment processes. Incredibly easy and intuitive to use, customizable to a tee, and offers top-tier live support. Our recruiters love it. A must-have for all recruitment agencies. Definitely recommend!
Ngoc-Thinh Tran
HR Manager, Talent Sourcing & Acquisition - Suntory PepsiCo Beverage
I am using Manatal for talent sourcing and it is the best platform ever. I am so impressed, the Manatal team did an excellent work. This is so much awesome, I am recommending the solution to all recruiters I know.

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