A referral request should help a professional contact understand the opportunity and your relevant experience. It should not ask them to guarantee your suitability, exaggerate what they know about you or bypass the employer's application process.

Start with a genuine relationship or relevant professional context. A person who has never worked with you may be able to explain the process, but may not be comfortable endorsing your work.

Choose a specific opportunity

Read the vacancy and identify why it fits your evidence. Send the role title or reference and a short explanation of the connection. Asking a contact to search every internal vacancy for you shifts too much work onto them.

Check whether the employer has a stated referral or application process. The contact may need to follow that process rather than simply forwarding a document to a manager.

Use a considerate message

“Hello [name], I noticed the [role/reference] vacancy at [company]. It appears relevant to my experience in [area], including [brief accurate example]. If you are comfortable, could you let me know how the referral process works and whether you would be willing to refer me? I understand if you are not able to, and I am happy to apply through the normal route. Thank you.”

Keep the message authentic to the relationship. Do not imply that the contact owes you an endorsement because you once helped them or know someone in common.

Provide useful information if requested

Share a current resume and a concise summary of the relevant evidence through an appropriate channel. Make sure the contact knows what they may forward. Do not include private documents or information from a current employer that you are not authorised to share.

Keep claims consistent with your career profile. The contact should not discover that a summary sent on your behalf exaggerates a responsibility they remember differently.

Respect the outcome

If the person declines, thank them and continue through another suitable route. If they refer you, follow the employer's instructions and avoid repeatedly asking the contact to obtain private hiring information.

A referral can create an introduction; it does not replace the employer's assessment or guarantee an interview. Prepare your STAR examples and review the role on its own merits so the application remains grounded in evidence rather than the strength of a personal connection.