Phone vs. online reference checks for campus hiring
Phone calls let you follow up; online forms put every reference on the same questions, on the record. Here is where each works in a campus search, and how to use both.
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Book a 30-minute demoKey takeaways
- Phone calls allow follow-up in the moment, but they depend on two calendars and leave notes rather than answers.
- Online reference checks ask everyone the same questions and keep a record by default, but cannot follow up in the moment.
- Many committees collect written answers from every reference and call only where an answer needs following up.
- Whichever you use, ask every reference the same questions and keep a record of what was said.
Many campuses still check references by phone, especially for faculty searches. The call is familiar, it feels thorough, and a good caller can hear hesitation that never makes it into writing. It also takes two calendars to schedule, and it leaves the committee with notes in whatever form the caller keeps.
Online reference checks, where each reference answers structured questions from a link, solve different problems and create a few of their own. Neither is right for every search. Here is how they compare, and how many committees end up using both.
What a phone call does well
- Follow-up in the moment. When an answer is vague, the caller can ask for an example straight away.
- Tone. Hesitation, warmth and careful wording all come through, and an experienced caller learns to hear them.
- References who will not write. Some people are comfortable saying things on a call they would not put in an email.
Where phone checks struggle
- Scheduling. Each reference is a round of messages to find a time, across teaching schedules, travel and time zones. The search waits on the slowest calendar.
- Inconsistency. Callers ask different questions in different orders, and follow-ups vary. Two finalists can end up with references that cannot be compared.
- Notes, not answers. The committee reads the caller’s summary, written after the call, rather than what the reference said.
- Staff time. Every call is a scheduling thread, a conversation and a write-up, multiplied by references and finalists.
- A thin record. If a decision is questioned later, it can be hard to show what was asked, of whom and when.
What an online reference check does well
- The same questions for everyone. Every reference answers the same set, in the same order, on the same scale.
- Answers in the reference’s own words. The committee reads what the reference wrote, not a paraphrase.
- No scheduling. References answer when they have ten minutes, and all of them can be asked at once.
- A record by default. When the request went out, when it was answered and what was asked are all captured as the process runs.
- Reminders without chasing. Follow-ups can go out on a schedule rather than when someone remembers.
Where online checks fall short
- No follow-up in the moment. A vague written answer stays vague unless someone asks again.
- Weak questions get weak answers. "Any comments?" invites a polite sentence. The questions carry more weight in writing than on a call.
- Some references prefer to talk. Offer a call to anyone who asks; it should be an option, not a barrier.
- The request matters. A form link with no context is easy to ignore. Say who is asking, how long it takes and when it is due.
Side by side
| Consideration | Phone call | Online form |
|---|---|---|
| Same questions for every reference | Depends on the caller | Built in |
| What the committee reads | The caller’s notes | The reference’s answers |
| Scheduling | One call at a time | None; all at once |
| Follow-up questions | In the moment | A second message or a call |
| Comparing finalists | Hard | Straightforward with ratings |
| Record of the process | Whatever was written down | Captured as it runs |
How to use both in one search
The approach that holds up best is written answers from every reference, followed by a call only where one is needed. Either way, the questions do the work: the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s guidance notes that standardized questions based on the job can greatly improve reference checking.
- Record the candidate’s consent and the references they nominate.
- Send every reference the same structured questions, with a deadline and a time estimate.
- Read the answers side by side, by competency, across all references for a finalist.
- Call a reference when an answer needs an example, two references disagree or something raises a concern.
- Write up each call against the same questions and add it to the packet with the date.
The calls you do make are shorter and better aimed, because you already know what you need to ask. The reference check questions we use as examples work in both formats.
Documenting a call so it counts
A call only becomes evidence when it is written down in a form the committee can compare. Record the same details for every call, and write the answers as close to the reference’s own words as you can.
Candidate and position: Reference, title and relationship to the candidate: Date, time and who made the call: Candidate’s consent to contact this reference recorded on: For each question, as asked: Question: Answer, in the reference’s words: Rating, if the question has one: Follow-up questions asked, and why:
The reference check form template adds a questionnaire and a scoring sheet that work the same way for calls and written answers, so the two can sit side by side in one packet.
Written answers from every reference, without the chasing
ReferenceCheck sends each reference a unique link to your structured questions, runs reminders on a schedule and collects every answer into one report. Neither candidates nor references create an account.
Book a 30-minute demoQuestions to ask before you switch
- Consent. Is the candidate’s agreement recorded before any reference is contacted?
- Accessibility. Can every reference and candidate complete the forms with a keyboard and a screen reader? Ask what accessibility standard the forms are tested against.
- Who reads what. Can you tell references, accurately, who will see their answers?
- Security. Where is the data held, who can access it and is access logged?
- Language. Can references answer in the language they are most comfortable in?
- Getting the answers out. Can the committee packet be exported to the formats your search files use?
Our checklist for evaluating reference check software turns these into a full evaluation for a campus.
Sources
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Reference Checking. Checked October 6, 2026.
About this guide
Written and kept up to date by Never Ending Solutions, the company that builds NES ReferenceCheck. Outside facts are cited with the date we checked them, and the advice works with or without our software. Read our editorial standards.