Referrals cheat sheet · MockLive AI
Asking for a referral: message templates
What to do before you ask, messages for strangers and for people you know, a blurb they can paste, and how to follow up.
01Before you ask
- Find one specific role at the company and keep the link to the official listing.
- Check you meet most of the requirements. Referring a poor fit costs the referrer credibility.
- Look for people with something in common with you: same university, same home city, same previous employer.
- Have your résumé ready as a PDF, tailored to this role.
02To someone you don't know
- “Hi [name], I'm applying for the [role] position on your team ([link]). I noticed we both [shared thing].”
- “I've spent [time] doing [relevant work], most recently [one result].”
- “Would you be open to referring me? I've attached my résumé and a two-line summary you could use. No problem at all if not.”
- Keep it under 100 words. Send it once, then follow up once at most.
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Never pay for a referral, and never charge for one. A real referral is a favour, not a product.