> Why are people so afraid to pick up the phone and talk to references?
First, references are chosen by the candidate, so they are almost universally expected to say good things.
Second, many companies explicitly prohibit their employees from giving meaningful references about former employees. Relying on a process that needs people to violate company policies or to have moved on from the role wherein they worked with the candidate is not really a good idea.
Not to mention that in the industry I am in people will tell you the exact opposite about people. It makes sense, you want your worst people to work for competitors, and your best people to not.
First, references are chosen by the candidate, so they are almost universally expected to say good things.
Second, many companies explicitly prohibit their employees from giving meaningful references about former employees. Relying on a process that needs people to violate company policies or to have moved on from the role wherein they worked with the candidate is not really a good idea.