The phone call to a former manager is going extinct. Over 75% of medium and large companies now use automated, digital reference-checking platforms like Checkster, SkillSurvey, and Xref. These systems send standardized questionnaires directly to your references via email, often with a tight deadline. Your reference's written responses are then compiled into a report for the hiring team.
This shift means you must prepare your references differently. They are no longer having a casual conversation; they are completing a formal assessment. The questionnaires are designed to surface red flags through consistent, comparative questions about your work style, strengths, and weaknesses.
Before listing someone, have a direct conversation. Explain the digital process, the likely deadline, and the types of competency-based questions they may receive (e.g., "On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate this person's project ownership?"). Provide them with a copy of the job description and a bullet-point summary of your relevant achievements at the time you worked together. This ensures their digital feedback is specific, aligned, and impactful.
Source: HR industry surveys on reference checking and platform white papers.