How to Get A Referral to Your Dream Job

Author: Chris Ng

A Jobvite study found that employee referrals have the highest applicant to hire conversion rate with 67% of employers and recruiters saying that the recruiting process was shorter. But how do you get a referral from someone in a company where you have no 1st-degree connections?

There are two ways you can go about in doing this. One is by cold messaging/emailing people who work at the company, and the other is by finding someone in your network who knows someone else in that company. Essentially, finding a 2nd-degree connection where your mutual colleague is willing to introduce you to the other person.

But before we get into how to ask for a recommendation or a referral, you need to do your due diligence regarding the company and the role you are looking for in your next play.

5 Gripes Referees Have With Referral Seekers:

Cold referral seekers
Not serious about switching roles
Not inquiring about a particular position
Being demanding
Asking what the trick is

1) Cold referral seekers

No one likes getting messages from someone we do not know asking for a favour. It is generally a bad idea to come out of the blue and ask a person for a referral when they have never worked with you professionally. A bad referral would prove detrimental to an employee’s reputation in the company, which is why there is quite a hesitation towards referring someone whose skills you cannot vouch for (also, is it really a referral if you do not even know that person?).

Instead, try to find mutual connections to bridge an introduction towards the referee. Otherwise, show that you are interested with specific examples rather than buzz words and rote messages.

2) Not serious about switching roles

Asking someone to take time out of their day to help you get a job at their company is a big ask. Even for a colleague, you have worked with in the past, this is a cumbersome process at most companies. If you end up making it to the funnel make sure to update your referee on your status and if you found out any deal breakers that would deter you from joining their company. Keep in mind, especially for millennials, where you work can be your identity so be sure to do so tactfully.

Changing jobs is an important life event, being transparent with your contact would serve you both better as it clears the air if either party wants to move forward with the process.

3) Not inquiring about a particular position

Most companies have all the available positions online. While a number of companies do not have their job listings fully baked into LinkedIn or have positions that are not advertised yet, it is still a good idea to identify positions that are you are interested in by browsing through their online listings. At the very least it shows that you did your homework and are serious about looking for a new role.

A great way to start a conversation with a referee is to link them job postings from their company you have seen beforehand to have a common understanding of what role you are looking for.

4) Being demanding

Sometimes there are no roles available at the moment, and while it is perfectly ok to ask someone to keep you in mind if they hear anything, it is generally bad practice to harass someone to keep checking and asking if there is something available. Remember, the employee you are trying to get a referral out of is essentially the start of your interview process.

It is always a good idea to send a thank you note to your referral after the whole process even if you did not get the job.

5) Asking what the trick is

I could not count the number of times I have been asked this question personally: “What is the trick to landing a job at [company]?”. No there is no trick, no keyword, and no secret phrase that would instantly get you hired anywhere. While it is generally harmless to ask about the interview process such as how many rounds, what type of questions, and timelines – it is frowned upon to suggest that the reason why someone got hired is that they knew a trick.

A better question to ask referees about the company is the company’s mission and vision, culture deck, technologies used, and projects they are working on (that have already been launched).

Role Play #1: Cold Referral Email Template

(Good for 3rd-degree connections!)

To: [Employee]

From: [Referral]

Subject: [Employee] <> [Referral]: Looking for a role at [Employee’s Company]

Hi [Employee]!

Sorry to bother you with this random email, [explain why they are a good fit to cold email].

[Why Referral is interested in working at Employee’s company]

[Why Referral is a good fit to work at Employee’s company]

Would a call at [proposed time] work for you? You can reach me at [Referral’s Number].

Thanks,

[Referral]

[LinkedIn Profile URL]

[Email]

[Phone Number]

Role Play #2: Cold Referral Asking Message

(The right way to ease in a request to that colleague you haven’t talked to in years!)

[You]: Hey [Referee]! How have you been? How has [Referee’s Company] been treating you?

[Referee]: Hey [You]! I’ve been good how about you? Work has been great – love it here!

===

[You]: So I have recently been looking for new opportunities and thought [Referee’s Company] would be a good fit because [List Reasons Why]. I am particularly interested in these roles: [URLs to Jobs]

[Referee]: Sounds great! Our referral process is [Explanation of How-To of the Referral Process].

===

[You]: Thanks! I just did all the steps 🙂 Will update you as I move along the pipeline!

[Referee]: No problem!

Role Play #3: Introducing A Referral Email

(How a 2nd-degree connection can help you get to that hiring manager!)

To: [Employee], [Referral]

From: [Introducer]

Subject: [Employee] <> [Referral]: Introduction

Hey [Employee],

[Something about the referral and why they would be a good fit]

Hey [Referral],

[Something about the employee and why you would like to work there]

You both do your thing!

Best,

[Introducer]

===

To: [Employee]

BCC: [Introducer]

From: [Referral]

Subject: RE: [Employee] <> [Referral]: Introduction

Thanks [Introducer], moving to BCC!

Hi [Employee]!

Thanks for taking the time to talk to me!