Understanding the Reference Journey: What Happens After I Send a Request?

Once you send a reference request through RefNow, the platform automatically manages the process of collecting and verifying references. This guide explains what happens at each stage so you know what to expect.

Step 1: The Candidate Receives Their Invitation

After a request is created, the candidate receives an email invitation from RefNow asking them to submit their referees. To find out how to send a request click here.

The candidate will:

• Open the secure RefNow link

• Enter their referee details

• Confirm consent for the reference check

Until this step is completed, the request will show as “Request Created” ()

Step 2: The Candidate Adds Their Referees

Candidates provide:

• Referee name

• Job title

• Company

• Professional email address and phone number

• Relationship to the candidate

Once submitted, RefNow automatically sends a reference request containing the questions specified by you to each referee. Learn about question profiles here.

Step 3: Referees Receive the Reference Request

Each referee receives an email from RefNow with a secure link to complete the reference.

The referee will:

1. Open the secure questionnaire

2. Confirm the candidate's employment dates

3. Answer the reference questions

4. Submit the reference

Referees can usually complete this in just a few minutes. They will also have access to the candidates signed consent for this and have the option to upload a PDF instead, if answering the questionnaire is not applicable to their company policy.

Step 4: Automatic Reminders Are Sent

If a referee hasn’t responded, RefNow sends automatic reminders to help speed up the process. We sent up to 4 automatic reminders in a 1 day, 2 day, 2 day, 2 day pattern. You can edit this at any time within the question profile or reference request.

This means recruiters/hiring teams typically do not need to manually chase referees, though if you would like to send an additional reminder, instructions can be found here.

Step 5: References Are Completed

Once a referee submits their responses, the reference is marked as Completed () in the timeline.

You can then:

• View the responses

• Download the reference report

• Continue progressing the candidate in the hiring process

Typical Reference Timelines

While response times vary, many references are completed within 24–48 hours.

Delays usually occur when:

• Referees haven’t opened the email

• The referee is unavailable

• Incorrect email details were entered

If a reference appears delayed, you can resend the request or add a replacement referee.

Monitoring Progress

You can track every stage of the reference process from your RefNow dashboard.

Statuses will show whether the request is:

• Awaiting candidate input

• Awaiting referee response

• In progress

• Completed

For a full explanation of statuses, see our guide: Reference Status Guide: What Each Status Means