How to get a referral when you don't know anyone

What does a referral do for your application?

A referral tells the employer that someone it trusts thinks you fit the job. In a 2015 study in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Stephen Burks and three coauthors used personnel data from nine large firms. Referred applicants were more likely to be hired and to accept offers, even though their skills looked similar to other applicants.

The same study found that referred workers were less likely to quit. That helps explain why employers pay for referrals. A 2019 SHRM article on referral programs cites Human Capital Institute research that 74 percent of employers offer referral incentives, and that 92 percent of those pay cash, with a median award of $1,000.

A referral still has limits. In a 2004 post on a Microsoft recruiter's archived blog, the recruiter wrote that the company receives "a large volume of referrals," and that follow-up happens if a recruiter finds a match for your background. The referral gets your resume read, and your experience still has to match the job.

How do you find someone to ask when you know nobody?

Start with people one step away from you: former coworkers, classmates, alumni of your school and members of a professional association in your field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics guide to informational interviewing says the easiest place to start is people you already know. It names career centers, alumni offices and association directories as good sources of contacts.

In Canada, the federal Job Bank guide to searching for jobs describes a hidden job market, where many openings are filled informally through managers, staff and personal contacts. It calls networking an effective way into that market, in person or online. Its examples include joining a professional association and creating a LinkedIn profile.

Make a list of 10 to 20 target employers. For each one, look on LinkedIn for people in the team or role you want, and note any shared school, past employer or association. A shared link gives a stranger a reason to answer. The BLS guide makes the same point: people are usually more willing to talk to someone with whom they have a connection.

If you are new to Canada, the guide to finding a job in Canada as a newcomer covers where to meet people in your field. Alumni groups and settlement agencies can give you the first few names.

How do you ask a stranger for an informational call?

Ask for information first and keep the request small. The BLS guide describes an informational interview as a brief meeting that usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes. It advises saying who you are, why you want to meet, how long it will take and how you found the name. Make clear you want information, not a job.

Here is an example message. Change the details in brackets to fit your situation.

Hi [name], I'm a [your role] with [number] years in [field], and I saw that you work on the [team] at [company]. We both studied at [school]. I'm researching [type of role] and would value 20 minutes to hear how you got into it and what the work is like. Would a short call next week work for you? Thanks, [your name]

The BLS guide gives a rule of thumb of three attempts to reach someone. After a third try with no answer, it says to move to the next name on your list. Keep each follow-up to two lines and leave several days between them.

What should you ask on the call?

Ask about the work, how the person got the job and what the team needs. The BLS guide suggests picking about 10 questions and keeping them open-ended. Its sample list includes "How did you find this job?" End the call by asking who else you could talk to.

That last request comes from the BLS list too: "Can you suggest anyone else I could ask for information? May I tell them that you have referred me?" Each call can lead to one or two more names. That is how a network grows from nothing in a few weeks.

Keep to the time you asked for. The BLS guide says the person asking for the meeting is in charge of the clock and should end when promised, unless the host wants to keep talking. Thank them at the end of the call and again in writing the same day.

When and how do you ask for the referral?

Ask after a real conversation, when a specific posting fits you. Send the job link or job ID, your resume and three lines on why you match. Then ask plainly whether they would feel comfortable referring you. Make it easy to say no, because a reluctant referral helps nobody and can cost you the contact.

Here is an example message for the ask.

Thanks again for the call on [date]. A [job title] role just opened on your team (job ID [number]). I've attached my resume. The short version: I have [match 1], [match 2] and [match 3]. Would you feel comfortable referring me for it? If you'd rather not, that's fine, and I'd still value a pointer to the right recruiter.

Each company runs its own process, so ask your contact how theirs works. Some programs have the employee submit you through an internal tool. Others ask you to name the employee in your application. Hostelling International Canada's staff referral page tells employees to "have your applicant mention your name in their application," and pays the bonus only if the person is hired.

Apply online as well, unless your contact says their system does it for you. In the Microsoft blog's comments, the recruiter told a referred candidate that they should apply, because recruiters review who has applied to their openings.

How do the main ways to get a referral compare?

The best route depends on how much the person can say about your work. A former coworker who saw your work can vouch for it in detail. A stranger you met on one call can usually only pass your resume along with a short note. The table compares common routes, and the right-hand column is advice.

What mistakes make people say no?

The most common mistake is asking a stranger for a referral in the first message. Without a conversation, the employee has nothing to say about you. The Microsoft referral tool described in that 2004 post asked employees for comments on the candidate. Other mistakes are sending a resume that doesn't fit the posting and asking for several roles at once.

Tell your referrer what happens next. The SHRM article says a common complaint about referral programs is that HR fails to keep the referring employee and the candidate informed about the job status. Your own update, even a rejection, keeps the relationship good for the next opening.

Tailor the resume before anyone forwards it. The guide to tailoring a resume without lying shows how to match a posting with facts you can back up. The free resume optimizer checks each line against the posting.

What should you do after you are referred?

Thank the person within a day and confirm that you applied, with the date. Then give the process a week or two before checking in, and send that check-in to the recruiter rather than your contact. If you hear nothing at all, use the timing and templates in the guide to following up on a job application.

Keep applying elsewhere while you wait. A referral raises the odds for one opening, and the guide to how many applications it takes to get a job helps you set a weekly target. The page on tailored applications vs mass applying explains why a few well-matched applications tend to do better than volume.

If the referral turns into an interview, prepare your opening answer first. The guide to tell me about yourself gives a structure you can say in about a minute. Prept's Mock room lets you practise answers out loud on a clock and scores each one out of 10 against your resume, and it is part of the free plan.