Professional Reference Form template
The same questions for every referee, in writing, on their schedule. This is the reference form I set up for HR teams tired of chasing phone calls — rendered live below with the exact HTML behind it.
What your visitor sees
Plain semantic HTML rendered through the same default form theme Core Forms applies on the front-end. Try it — this demo confirms inline and sends nothing.
Demo only. On your site, the same markup wires into the normal Core Forms action loop — email, Slack, Google Sheets, webhook, whatever you configure.
The HTML behind it
Copy this block, paste into Core Forms → Add New Form → Fields tab, save. Field names map to merge tags automatically in your action templates.
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-candidate">Candidate name <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<input type="text" id="cf-ref-candidate" name="CANDIDATE" required aria-required="true" />
</p>
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-referee">Your name <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<input type="text" id="cf-ref-referee" name="REFEREE" autocomplete="name" required aria-required="true" />
</p>
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-email">Your email <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<input type="email" id="cf-ref-email" name="EMAIL" autocomplete="email" required aria-required="true" />
</p>
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-role">Your role / title <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<input type="text" id="cf-ref-role" name="ROLE" autocomplete="organization-title" required aria-required="true" />
</p>
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-relationship">Relationship to candidate <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<select id="cf-ref-relationship" name="RELATIONSHIP" required aria-required="true">
<option value="">Choose one…</option>
<option>Direct manager</option>
<option>Colleague</option>
<option>Direct report</option>
<option>Client</option>
<option>Other</option>
</select>
</p>
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-duration">How long have you worked together <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<select id="cf-ref-duration" name="DURATION" required aria-required="true">
<option value="">Choose one…</option>
<option>Under 1 year</option>
<option>1–3 years</option>
<option>3+ years</option>
</select>
</p>
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-strengths">Candidate's key strengths <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></label>
<textarea id="cf-ref-strengths" name="STRENGTHS" rows="5" required aria-required="true"></textarea>
</p>
<p>
<label for="cf-ref-develop">Areas to support or develop</label>
<textarea id="cf-ref-develop" name="DEVELOP" rows="4"></textarea>
</p>
<fieldset>
<legend>Would you hire them again <span aria-hidden="true">*</span></legend>
<p>
<label><input type="radio" name="REHIRE" value="Yes without hesitation" required /> Yes without hesitation</label>
<label><input type="radio" name="REHIRE" value="Yes" /> Yes</label>
<label><input type="radio" name="REHIRE" value="With reservations" /> With reservations</label>
<label><input type="radio" name="REHIRE" value="No" /> No</label>
</p>
</fieldset>
<p>
<button type="submit">Submit reference</button>
</p>
What this professional reference form template is for
A structured reference form fixes the two problems with phone references: inconsistency and amnesia. Every referee answers the same questions, so you can compare candidates instead of comparing conversations. And the answers are written down — no scribbled notes, no "I think he said she was good with clients." Referees also answer on their own time, which means fewer voicemail loops and faster turnaround. HR teams and recruiters are the obvious users; landlords screening tenants and program admissions use the exact same shape.
The template collects who the referee is, how they know the candidate, and what they actually think: role, relationship, how long they worked together, key strengths, areas to develop, and the question that matters most — would you hire them again.
What a form won't catch: tone. A referee who pauses for four seconds before saying "yes, I'd rehire them" tells you something a radio button never will. For a final-round hire, still make the call. Use the form to decide who's worth calling about.
Every field, and why it's there
| Field | Type | Required | Why it's there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate name | text | Yes | Who the reference is about — maps to [CANDIDATE] in your action templates. |
| Your name | text | Yes | The referee. A reference without a name attached is worth nothing. |
| Your email | email | Yes | For follow-up questions and to verify the referee is who they say. |
| Your role / title | text | Yes | "VP of Engineering" and "former roommate" carry different weight. |
| Relationship to candidate | select | Yes | Direct manager, colleague, direct report, client, other — context for every answer below. |
| How long have you worked together | select | Yes | Three years of observation beats three months. Weigh accordingly. |
| Candidate's key strengths | textarea | Yes | Open text on purpose — specifics here are the signal, checkboxes would flatten it. |
| Areas to support or develop | textarea | Optional | A softened prompt gets more honest answers than "weaknesses" — referees will actually fill it in. |
| Would you hire them again | radio group | Yes | Four options, fieldset-wrapped. Anything below "yes without hesitation" is worth a phone call. |
From this HTML to a working form
-
Paste the markup into the Fields tab
Core Forms → Add New Form → Fields tab. Paste the HTML above, adjust the relationship options if your context differs (tenant screening, admissions), save. The markup IS the form — no field picker.
-
Wire the reference notification
In the Actions tab, add Send Email to the hiring manager. Subject: "Reference received: [CANDIDATE]". The submission record itself is the written reference on file — the email is just the alert.
-
Send the link to referees
Embed the form on an unlisted page, then send referees the link from the candidate's file. Each submission arrives tagged with the candidate name, so references sort themselves.
Three upgrades worth considering
Let referees attach a signed letter
Some referees have a reference letter already written. Add a file upload field and the PDF lands alongside the structured answers.
File uploads →Export references for a hiring file
CSV export pulls every reference for a candidate into one file — handy when the hiring decision needs a paper trail outside wp-admin.
CSV export →Keep the form away from spam bots
A public reference form attracts junk. Honeypot and spam protection keep the submissions inbox limited to actual referees.
Spam protection →Professional Reference Form template questions
Is a form reference legally safer than a phone call?
It helps: a written record with consistent questions for every candidate is easier to defend than notes from a call. But employment and privacy law varies by jurisdiction — check your local rules. This is a form template, not legal advice.
How do I send the form to referees?
One link per candidate works best: embed the form on an unlisted page and email the link from the candidate's file. The candidate name is either pre-agreed with the referee or typed by them in the first field — both arrive labeled.
Can referees stay anonymous to the candidate?
Submissions live in the Core Forms inbox in wp-admin, not on any public page, so the candidate never sees them by default. Who gets access is yours to control — the notification email goes only to the addresses you configure.
What if a referee wants to talk instead of typing?
Take the call. The form's job is to filter: referees who fill it in glowingly or damningly tell you who deserves twenty minutes on the phone. A referee who insists on talking usually has something worth hearing.
The template is free. The plumbing is the product.
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