Haveo · Networking when you need a job
How to ask someone for a referral
Ask people who have seen you work, name the exact role, and write the paragraph for them. A referral fails when it is effortful — give them the link, two lines on why you fit, and an easy way to decline.
Who you can actually ask
Anyone who has seen your work directly: former colleagues, managers, clients, collaborators. They are staking their judgment, so they need to have some.
Someone you met once at an event cannot refer you. They can introduce you, which is a different and much easier ask.
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Make it nearly no work
The link to the specific role. Two or three lines they can paste about why you fit it. Your resume attached.
Most referrals die because the person meant to do it and the task never got small enough to finish.
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The message
"Hi [name] — [company] is hiring a [role] and I am applying. We worked together on [project], so you have actually seen me do this. Would you be comfortable putting in a referral? I have pasted a couple of lines below you are welcome to use or ignore. Completely fine if not."
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Give them the exit
"Completely fine if not" at the end matters more than it looks. Without it, someone who is not comfortable referring you often just does not reply, and you lose the contact as well as the referral.
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Afterwards
Tell them what happened either way. People who referred someone and never heard the outcome are noticeably less willing the next time.
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Rehearse it before you walk in.
Haveo builds your intro, lets you practice out loud with an AI coach, and keeps your notes one tap away in the room. Free on iPhone and iPad.
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