When someone applies for a certification that requires references, each referee receives an email request. If you received that email, follow these steps to complete and submit your reference.
When to Use This
Use this task after you receive a reference request email from an association through Rhythm. You must open the reference form from the link in that email; you cannot find or start it from the Portal.
Prerequisites
- The link from the reference request email. Open the link directly instead of retyping the address.
- Your reference must still be pending. After a reference is submitted, you cannot submit it again.
Fill In and Submit Your Reference
- Select the link in the reference request email. It opens the association's reference submission page in the Portal.
- If you're asked to confirm your contact details first, review and update them, then continue.
- Fill in the reference form. The association writes the questions, so they vary by the type of reference requested.
- Submit the form.
Result
Your reference is recorded as completed and counts toward the applicant's requirement. If the association's process sends confirmations, you receive an email after you submit your reference.
A Reference Can Be Submitted Only Once
After a reference is recorded as completed, the same link cannot submit the form again. If you need to change something after submitting, contact the association directly; you cannot reopen or resubmit a reference from the Portal.
What the Form Asks For
The association that requested the reference writes the questions, so they vary by association and reference type. Some requests also ask you to confirm or update your contact details, such as your name and email address, before you answer the reference questions. Not every request includes that step.
Why the Page Might Say Your Reference Was Already Submitted
If you follow the link again after completing the reference, the submission is refused because the reference is no longer pending. This is expected after you submit, and there is nothing else you need to do.
If the Link Doesn't Work
If the link does not open a working page, or if it says the reference could not be loaded, the reference may no longer be available or the association's Portal may not be set up to receive it. Contact the association that sent the request for another copy of the link, or for help.
If the form does not include an option you expected, contact the association instead of trying to add it yourself. If Rhythm does not already support that option, the association can submit it as a feature request through Rhythm's idea-submission channel.