How do you ask for a referral at a company?

Why referrals work

A referred candidate is three to five times more likely to get an interview than a candidate who applied cold. Referrals aren't favouritism — they're signal. The employer has a trusted person at the company who has put their reputation behind you, which cuts through the noise of a crowded applicant pool.

The mistake most candidates make is asking the wrong person, the wrong way, for the wrong thing.

Who to ask

Not HR. Not the recruiter. Not a random connection.

Ask someone in the department you want to work in, ideally at a similar or slightly more senior level than the role. Use LinkedIn to find them.

• First-degree connection you know personally: ideal.
• Second-degree connection through a mutual you trust: good, with a warm intro.
• A stranger who went to the same school or has a shared affiliation: viable, low hit rate.
• HR or recruiting: no — they can't refer you internally, and your message will be filtered.

What to ask for

Referrals come in a range. Be specific about which one you want.

• A referral submission — the employee clicks a link in the company's internal referral system and enters your name. This is what you actually want.
• An introduction to the hiring manager — the employee forwards your resume or puts you in touch. Also valuable.
• General career conversation / informational chat — fine if you're early in your thinking, but don't call this a referral request.

Don't ask for "any help." Ask for a specific action.

The message template

Four sentences or fewer. Cold outreach has to be concise.

Hi [Name],

I'm applying for the [role title] position on the [team name] team at [Company] — it's a strong fit for my [one specific background detail, e.g. "five years of B2B SaaS product marketing" or "supply chain analytics work at Loblaw"]. If it's not a stretch, would you be willing to submit me through the internal referral system? Happy to send over my resume and a short summary of the fit.

Either way, thanks for considering it — and best of luck with [something specific they've posted about or a project they're on].

[Your name]

Why this works: specific role, specific reason you're a fit, specific ask, respect for their time, an out if it's awkward, and a closing that shows you looked at their actual profile.

What not to do

• Don't send a generic "can we chat?" opener. It wastes their time and yours.
• Don't send your full resume as an attachment in the first message. Wait for them to say yes.
• Don't message five people at the same company simultaneously. They talk to each other.
• Don't follow up more than once if they don't respond. Not everyone will. Move to the next person.
• Don't make the referral about you without naming the role. The employee needs to know which opening to submit you for.

If you don't know anyone at the company

LinkedIn's "people you may know" by company is one option. Alumni networks are another — your university's alumni directory or LinkedIn alumni filter will surface people who went to your school and now work at the target company. Second-degree connections through a mutual you trust are the next tier down.

If you truly have no path in, a targeted LinkedIn message to a department-level employee with a clear, specific ask still works better than most people think. The open rate is lower, but the response rate among those who do read it is real.

What to do after they agree

• Send them your resume within 24 hours.
• Send a two-sentence summary of why you're a fit for the specific role.
• Send the job posting URL.
• Thank them clearly when they've submitted you.

And — critically — keep them in the loop. If you land an interview, tell them. If you get an offer, tell them. If you don't, tell them and thank them again. That closes the loop cleanly, which protects the relationship for next time.

The final rule

A referral is a favour that costs the employee social capital inside their company. Treat it accordingly. A thoughtful thank you, a real update, and a reciprocal offer ("let me know if I can return the favour — happy to refer someone for a role at [your company]") is what makes the referral network work the next time you need it.