We'll cover:
While referrals don’t guarantee you the job, they usually do increase your chances of landing the job – or at least an interview.
📣 Hear it from a recruiter
“If a recruiter has a stack of five hundred resumes to look through, there are typically about ten resumes on top of the pile that have been forwarded from someone inside the company. Chances are a recruiter will pick the best five of those ten off the top of the stack and then the best five of the remaining five hundred for an interview. The odds are a bit more in your favor!” – Recruitment Director
📣 Hear it from a grad
“Referrals are also a great way to secure a phone interview!” - an account manager at Amazon (source)
There are a few different approaches to getting an employee referral depending on whether you already have personal connections to the company and how much time you have before the application.
📣 Hear it from a grad
“I was looking for jobs for eight months during COVID … I finally got a job after I got a referral from a friend’s friend. So yeah … let people know you're looking for a job … people will ‘pass the work around.’” – Associate Software Engineer at Xero
If you don’t know anyone at the company and neither does anyone in your network, your best bet is to find employees to connect with, build relationships with them, and then ask for referrals.
By this point, they’re almost guaranteed to offer you a referral!
But we get it, you don’t always have the time for all that, so here’s a simplified process:
And if you really don’t have time, you can skip to asking for the referral from the get-go. This is the option with the lowest chance of success, but it does occasionally work. Here’s how you make it happen:
Here are some samples you can use as a basis for your own requests.
Sample #1: Phone call to a family friend
I was chatting with [Family Member's Name] the other day, and they mentioned that you work at [Company Name].
I've been researching the [specific position] there, and I'm really excited about the opportunity. It seems like a fantastic fit for my skills and interests.
Listen, I was wondering if you might be willing to refer me for the position? I believe that my experience in [mention relevant experience or skills] aligns well with what they're looking for and I’d really love it if you could vouch for me … but no pressure obviously!
Sample #2: Message to a contact on Linkedin
Hi [Contact's Name],Just wanted to let you know that over the past few months, our conversations on LinkedIn about [industry or shared interest] have been incredibly insightful, and I've truly valued your perspective.
Recently, I came across an opening for [specific position] at [Company Name], where I understand you're currently working. The role aligns perfectly with my experience in [mention relevant experience or skills] and my career goals.
I've attached my resume for your reference, and I was wondering if you might consider referring me for this position? I believe that my background and passion for [specific area of interest] would make me a strong fit for the team.
I completely understand if you need more information or if you're unable to assist with the referral. Either way, I appreciate your consideration and would be happy to continue our conversation about [industry or shared interest].
Thank you so much, [Contact's Name]. Your support means a lot to me, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
Sample #3: Cold message on Linkedin
Hi [Contact's Name],
My name is [Your Full Name], and I'm reaching out because I came across your profile while researching [Company Name]. Your experience in [specific area related to the job] caught my attention, and I was hoping to connect with you regarding an opportunity at your company.
I recently discovered an opening for [specific position] at [Company Name], and I believe my background in [mention relevant experience or skills] aligns well with the role.
If you feel comfortable and think I might be a good fit, I would be honoured if you would consider referring me for this position. I recognise that this is an unusual request, and I appreciate your consideration.
Whether or not you're able to assist with the referral, thank you for taking the time to read my message, [Contact's Name].
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
Traditionally, a referral involves someone walking your resume over to HR. These days, it can take many forms.
Whatever the case, the HR department or hiring manager usually prioritises your application, knowing that you come with an internal stamp of approval.
Then, assuming you land the job or internship (or meet some other metrics), your referrer might get a financial bonus or other incentives, such as additional vacation days or gift cards.
📣 Hear it from a recruiter
“Yes, a Google employee can refer you even if you’ve already applied. Although this will still be connected to your prior application, it will result in a flag being added to your record that will get priority attention from the position’s recruiter(s). However, if you apply … before the referral is submitted, the referring employee may not be eligible to receive Google’s employee referral bonus — since they won’t be considered to be the original source … of you entering the system.” – former Principal Recruiter at Google
Nope, just focus on getting a referral!
📣 Hear it from a recruiter
“At my former job, referrals from well-performing middle managers or junior staff actually held more promise for me since I figured these folks really knew the quality and the caliber of whom they were referring. Oftentimes the CEO types were merely passing on the name of the son of their investment club associate or bridge partner whom they had never even met before.” – Recruiting director
No, a referral just helps move your application towards the front of the line. If you're not qualified, this just means getting rejected sooner! In this case, your time is better spent getting qualifications instead of a referral.
📣 Hear it from a recruiter
“If someone has been referred and I'm not sure I see a fit or I'm really questioning like ‘Hmm why did they make this referral,’ I'm gonna call the employee that made the referral and … have questions’.” – Recruiter at Amazon
Referrals generally don’t hurt your chances of landing a graduate job or internship. That is, unless perhaps the person referring you has a negative reputation within the company.
However, there are cases where referrals don’t matter. This may be because:
Different offices of the same company may even have different policies. When in doubt, ask the recruiter!
📣 Hear it from a recruiter
“We do not give priority to candidates that are referred by an employee or former intern. Our goal is to review all candidate applications within 90 days of when they are submitted.” – Recruiter for Microsoft in Atlanta, USA
Ready to take the next step? Prosple is here for you!
With curated job boards specifically for students, real employee reviews, and insights into what it's really like working at various companies, Prosple is your one-stop-shop for finding, researching, and landing that graduate job or internship.