How to ask for a referral.
As your career grows and develops your network is a significant tool to assist you at finding a job, generating new business or making connections. Once your network grows, it’s best to have a process for how you give and get referrals. Note that it’s give and get referrals. A two-way street is best when it comes to longer term relationships.
Here are four tips for how to ask for a referral.
Have a clear purpose as to why you want a referral. Is it for a job? For access to a new company? For a friend to find a job? Knowing exactly why you want to connect with someone else through a person in your network creates the kind of clarity needed to make the referral process successful.
Make the request easy for your connection to fulfill. For example, rather than saying “Will you connect me with Bill” try crafting an email that builds your credibility, is specific and instills confidence. Try sending an email draft such as, “ Dear Jim, here is a sample email that you can forward on to Bill if you would be interested in assisting me. My good friend Sally is an experienced marketing professional who is looking to make an introduction inside of XYC company. I see you have relationships with XYC and hope you could take 15 minutes to speak with her later this month. Here is her linkedin profile. Can I make an introduction?”
Follow up during the process. Often I hear that people will help other people network during a job search and they share their contacts. But the job seeker never lets them know what happens. Don’t be that person! Let your contact know you will keep them updated as the relationship progresses. Be thankful and communicate so that they know the value you have gained and can thank their contact for making time for you.
Give and Receive. Don’t assume your network can’t be helpful to other people. You may have contacts in fields that your contact doesn’t. The goal of giving and receiving is you want to be able to help other people solve their problems faster. Sometimes a name of a good handyman is equally important as the name of an informational interview contact.
Networking and relationships is part of daily living and the more you make it a part of your routine the more your reputation will continue to thrive.