Job Referral Tips

I asked 443 people who landed a job in the last 6 months how they did it - and because I'm relentless, I DM’d several of them for the details 👀 Here’s what they said: - 39% got hired through a job application only - 38% landed their role through a referral or someone in their network - 11% were reached out to directly - 12% marked “other” and DM'd me (saving these gems for another post!) For this post, I wanna talk about referrals. Because every time I bring them up, I get feedback from people who swear that referrals don’t make a lick of difference in their application. But the data says otherwise!! Referrals are JUST as effective as job applications. So why do so many people think they don’t work? My guess - it comes down to how people think about networking, and who they are networking with. Many assume networking = cold DM’ing your LinkedIn connections that work at your target company, and asking them to essentially tag you in the company’s ATS as a “referral”. This might work… sometimes… if you’re lucky. But for all the people that landed jobs and shared their stories, this was what actually worked: 💡 It’s not just about knowing someone at the company - it’s about knowing someone with hiring influence. - A hiring manager referred a rejected candidate to a colleague at another company - and they got hired. - A former supervisor vouched for someone internally, even when no job was posted. - Someone got passed over at first, but their referrer kept advocating for them - so when the first-choice hire didn't work out, they got the offer. 💡 Most referrals didn’t come from cold outreach - they came from past colleagues, former bosses, or professional acquaintances. - Someone caught up with an old coworker and learned about an unposted job. - Another had a standing check-in with a former boss, who later hired them at a new company. - One person told their manager they wanted to leave, and instead of quitting, the company created a role just to keep them. 💡 Cold outreach worked - but only when it wasn’t just about asking for a referral. - Someone cold-called companies just to ask what they look for in an employee. The CEO liked their initiative and invited them for an interview. - Another reached out on LinkedIn not for a referral, but to learn about someone's career path. That conversation led to a job. 💡 Some of the best networking didn’t even feel like networking. - A job seeker met a company director at trivia night, followed up, and got an interview. - Another ran into someone at the gym, and that casual chat led to a job. - A plus-one at a work event struck up a conversation - months later, they got hired at the company. So, the TLDR: Networking is effective when approached with the goal of building meaningful relationships, with people in positions of hiring influence, so that you are top of mind when the right opportunities come up. Have a story to share about networking efforts that lead to new opportunities? Let's hear it!

In my early career, I thought networking was all about building as many connections as possible. But I quickly learned that effective networking isn't about the quantity of your connections—it's about the quality. Throughout my career, the connections that have truly made a difference weren’t the ones where I just asked for help—they were the ones where I made it easy for others to want to help me. If you want to make others genuinely want to help you, it’s crucial to move beyond simply asking for favors. Instead, focus on creating value and building relationships where both parties benefit. So, how can you do the same? Here are four tactical tips to help you network effectively: ✅ Do Your Homework Before reaching out, research the person or company you’re interested in. Understand their work, challenges, and how you can add value. For instance, instead of asking a connection for job leads, do your own research first. Identify specific roles and companies you’re targeting, and then ask if they can help with an introduction. This approach shows initiative and respect for their time. ✅ Be Specific in Your Ask Whether you’re asking for an introduction, advice, or a referral, be clear and concise about what you need. For example, instead of asking, “Do you know anyone hiring?” say, “I noticed [Company Name] is looking for a [Role]. Would you be open to introducing me to [Person]? I’m happy to send you my resume and a brief write-up you can pass along, too.” This shows that you’ve taken the initiative and makes it easier for your contact to say yes. ✅ Offer Mutual Value When requesting a meeting or advice, frame it as a two-way conversation. Instead of saying, “Can I pick your brain?” try something like, “I’d love to exchange ideas on [specific topic] and share some strategies that have worked for me.” This not only makes your request more compelling but also positions you as someone who brings value to the table. ✅ Follow Up with Gratitude After someone has helped you, don’t just say thank you and disappear. Keep them in the loop on how their help made an impact. Whether you got the job, secured the meeting, or just had a great conversation, let them know. This closes the loop and makes them more inclined to help you in the future. Your network is one of your greatest assets—nurture it well, and it will be there for you when you need it most. What’s one networking tip that’s helped you build stronger connections? *** 📧 Want more tips like these? Join Career Bites - free weekly bite-sized tips to supercharge your career in 3 minutes or less: lorraineklee.com/subscribe 📖 You can also get behind-the-scenes stories, updates, and special gifts for my upcoming book Unforgettable Presence: lorraineklee.com/book

Amir’s 10 Unwritten Rules of Engagement – How to Actually Get a Response Every day, people reach out for advice, connections, or opportunities. Some requests stand out. Others – they disappear into the void. Why? Based on my observations and data, here is what separates a quality request from an ignored one and how you maximize your chances of getting an answer: 1️⃣ Spelling and grammar. Spell their name correctly. And don’t have any spelling or grammar errors in your note. If you can’t take five seconds to check, why should they take five minutes to reply? 2️⃣ Don’t send a copy-paste form letter. People can smell it a mile away. If it looks like spam, it gets treated like spam. 3️⃣ Show basic courtesy – and don’t just disappear after getting what you need. A little warmth goes a long way. A cold “Can you refer me?” isn’t it. And if someone helps you, keep them posted on how it went. Relationships matter. 4️⃣ Make it easy for them to say yes. The less effort required, the more likely they’ll help. Be specific, clear, and to the point. 5️⃣ Get to the point, do your homework, and don’t make them do the work. Don’t write a novel – most people won’t read it. If you’re asking for a referral, attach your resume. If you need advice, ask a clear, direct question. If Google can answer it, don’t ask them. 6️⃣ Don’t get upset if they can’t help – a ‘no’ doesn’t mean forever. A request is not a demand. No one owes you a response. Handle rejection well, and doors may open later. It's a small industry - you can't imagine the damage that one sharp note can do. 7️⃣ No guilt trips – and limit desperation. I deeply empathize, but playing up how tough your situation is – how many months of money you have left, how desperate you are – does not work in professional outreach. Most people, for good, bad, or in-between, focus on whether they can help, not the full context behind your need. Keep things short and professional – it gives you the best chance of getting a response. 8️⃣ Offer something in return – and be memorable for the right reasons. A thank-you costs nothing but means everything. If they don’t reply today, leave an impression that makes them want to help you later. 9️⃣ Know who you’re asking. If you’re cold messaging, at least show you know why they’re the right person to ask. This is why I always start with safer, more junior reach outs first. Think like a BD and map an organization. 🔟 Follow up – but don’t badger. One polite follow-up? Sure. Three messages in a row? No.

One of the first engineers I hired found me on LinkedIn. Here’s what he did right: 1. He messaged me three times, each time including his resume, a short bio, and a link to the job posting he was interested in. 2. He wasn’t annoying or pushy, but consistent. He waited about a month between each interaction and made sure to be understanding that I likely wasn’t ignoring him, I just hadn’t seen his emails yet. 3. He knew he was asking me for something and he acknowledged that. It wasn’t a given that I would help him, but a request for help that was greatly appreciated. 4. He did his homework. His email to me was basically what a cover letter should be. He explained in plain language what he wanted and why he’d be a good fit. He looked into the role and made sure I probably knew people in that department. It made it so easy for me to look at his resume and the JD and put my reputation on the line for him. And you know what? He’s been one of the best engineers I’ve ever hired. He has shown up with the same consistency and ability to clearly communicate every day for the last 4 years. Spamming your resume to every data person on LinkedIn will never work. In fact, the short “here’s my resume can you get me a job” email is so off-putting I’ve blocked people who do it more than once. Asking for a referral is basically asking someone to align their reputation with you, so don’t do it without consideration and acknowledgement. And finally, just because X company is hiring doesn’t mean that every employee knows every hiring manager everywhere. Do your homework.

For the first time in life, I was on the other side - people were reaching out to me for referrals. I never thought I would learn so much from the process. Lets start with numbers first. I had 1000+ connection requests. Only 35 had notes attached with them. And, only 8 of them were well written. Within 12 minutes of posting, I had 4 direct messages (this is to tell you most people have crowded inboxes). It was impossible for me to respond to everyone who reached out to me. The biggest learning i have had is that I cannot refer you if I haven’t talked to you or know you. So even if you connect with me after a job posting goes live - if there is no prior relationship - I cannot refer you. This is why I always emphasize that building relationships is important. Now, let’s come to the messages/in-mails I received. There are four important keys to a referral message ✅ brief but informative. do not write 5 paragraphs. ✅ mention WHICH job you want to apply to. attach a link or job id number. ✅ attach your resume. ✅ address the person correctly. Most of the messages didn’t spell out my name correctly. While it is so simple - most messages missed one or two of the above mentioned things. You need to make it very simple for the person referring you. I cannot spend time asking you for information. Some things that I noticed people did which I really liked: - they researched all open positions. - asked me for insights/tips or which one would be a better fit. - did not ask for a referral but showed interest. Thinking back, I am more inclined to forward these people’s resume to the HR because they GENUINELY INTERESTED. A HUGE LEARNING and hope you can learn from this and make your referral reach-outs better too. #career #job #jobsearch #referrals

Referrals don’t automatically lead to job interviews. Because all referrals aren't created equal. There are two types of referrals: 1. The One And Done 2. The Advocate The One And Done is what most people end up with. Somebody at the company finally says “yes” and offers to pass your resume along. This means they put you in the company tool or they send your resume to a recruiter. Problem is, they don’t do much else. They don’t sell your experience, they don’t push to get you in the door... Because they can’t. They still barely know you! Advocates are doing all of the above. They don’t just put your resume in the referral tool. They send the hiring manager an email selling your value and the direct impact you’ll have on the team. They share the same message with other colleagues. They follow up to make sure you're scheduled for an interview. Then they champion you all the way through to the offer stage. So, the next time you get a referral, make an ask! Ask if your referral would be willing to email the hiring manager. Then provide them with all of the info and copy they'd need to make a strong case for you. Turn that One And Done into an Advocate! You'll land more interviews and offers.

Another sign of how tough the job market is right now? So many people I know won’t even apply to jobs unless they have an internal reference or someone to make an intro for them. Jobs they’re not only qualified for—but genuinely excited about. 😖 And they’re not wrong, either. As I’ve been searching for my next full-time role, I’ve found myself doing the exact same thing. I’ll see an interesting job, and if I don’t know someone who works there, the first thing I do is check LinkedIn to see if I’m connected to anyone who can refer me to someone who does. If I can’t make the connection, I move on. I don’t even apply—to roles I’d crush. 😕 It’s not because I’m a quitter. It’s because when there are 1,500 applicants for VP or C-level roles, it feels almost impossible to stand out. And that’s incredibly depressing because it means: 1️⃣ Job seekers are too discouraged to even apply to roles they’d thrive in. 2️⃣ Companies are missing out on incredible talent because people feel like their resumes will disappear into a black hole. Lose-lose. 🫠 What can job seekers do in this reality when they find a job they’re a great fit for but don’t have a connection—besides skipping over opportunities they’d typically pursue? If you’re like me, you double down and reach out to *every corner* of your network: ➡️ Leverage 2nd-degree connections. Find someone in your network who can introduce you to an employee at the company. Many companies offer great incentives for referrals, so even folks who don’t know you personally may be happy to refer you. ➡️ Use LinkedIn’s “People” search feature. Identify employees at the company and send personalized connection requests. Mention the role you’re excited about, and ask if they’d be open to a quick chat about their experience there. Genuine curiosity can go a long way. ➡️ Reach out directly to the hiring manager. Send a note explaining why you’d be a great fit and what excites you about the role. As someone who’s hired for many positions, I can tell you that a thoughtful, personality-filled message that’s relevant to the role will absolutely stand out. 💡 The crappy reality is that in today’s market, your network really is everything—no matter how amazing you are at your job—so lean on it AND keep building it. (And while not the focus of this post, this also underscores the importance of building your personal brand—now more than ever.) Good luck out there, jobseekers. I feel your pain. This market is unlike anything else. 🫶

I get a lot of requests for coffee chats and referrals, and I've noticed some recurring mistakes in how people reach out. I want to share the strategies that have helped me achieve a 70% response rate. LinkedIn is incredible for connecting, and with thoughtful outreach and content, you can increase your outreach response results. The Don'ts (Vague): 🚫 "Hi there, I'm graduating in May and open to positions at [Insert Company Name]." Why this doesn't work? - It's too generic. No one person knows every open role. - It shows a lack of research. - You're shifting the work onto the recipient. The Do's (Specific & Intentional): ✅ "Hi [Insert Name], I noticed you're a Program Manager at [Insert Company]. I'm interested in the Program Manager role [Insert Job Link] and would love to connect for a 20-minute coffee chat to discuss: - Your interview process - Your day-to-day schedule - Your top challenges and how you overcome them - Any tips you can share Key Strategies for Success: - Targeted Job Titles: If you want an engineering role, connect with engineers. For data analysis, reach out to data analysts. Keep it relevant! - Experience Alignment: Aim for individuals with career tenures closer to your desired level. New grad? Connect with those 2-3 years into their journey. - The Follow-Up is Crucial: After a successful coffee chat, send a personalized THANK YOU. Include 1-2 specific points you discussed to show you were engaged. Strategic and intentional outreach is crucial, especially with so many people looking for jobs right now. It's all about thoughtful research and making it easy for the person you're contacting. What are your favorite outreach tips or questions? Let's connect and share! 👇 #LinkedInNetworking #CareerAdvice #JobSearchTips #StrategicOutreach #ProfessionalDevelopment #NetworkingTips #CoffeeChat #JobHunting #CareerStrategy #NoCeilings #CoffeeChatStrategy #NetworkWithIntention

I often hear candidates say, “I tailored my resume. I had a referral. I didn’t even get an interview!” Referrals aren’t hitting like they used to. The strength of your referral depends on two key things: 1️⃣ Your relationship with the person referring you 2️⃣ Their relationship with the hiring manager Back when I was a baby recruiter, I flagged a candidate who had a referral. The hiring manager asked who the referral came from. When they didn’t recognize the name, they brushed it off. The opinion of a random employee, someone they had never met, who didn’t understand the role or the team’s needs, meant absolutely nothing to them. And yet, I constantly see candidates chasing this kind of referral. Sure, you could hop on Fishbowl or Blind, or cold message strangers until you find a Good Samaritan (or maybe a Gold Digger) willing to toss a referral your way. But those types of referrals usually carry very little weight. Does that mean you shouldn’t network? Not at all. It just means you will get farther by building relationships with people who are actually connected to the hiring team. Game changing referrals come from people who can speak about you in depth and who have the hiring manager’s ear. High impact referrals take time. Networking is about planting seeds, not just picking fruit.

5 recruiting email best practices to boost your open, reply, and interested rates: At Gem, we've analyzed millions of recruiting emails sent through our platform. Here's what the data actually shows works: 1. Subject lines are your gateway Our 2024 data shows open rates have dropped to 76.6% (from 78.4% in 2022). The pressure on that first impression is immense. Effective subject lines leverage psychology: — Appeal to values: "Elevating [industry] together"  — Use flattery: "Come be our expert [job title] at [company]" — Create curiosity gaps: "Your experience at [Company] caught my attention" A subject line that *feels* like a mass email will be treated like one. 2. "Send on behalf of" is your secret weapon Only 21.9% of recruiters use SOBO (Send on Behalf Of), but those who do see up to 50% higher reply rates. Having messages appear from hiring managers or executives adds authority without creating workflow bottlenecks. This works particularly well for leadership roles and specialized positions where hearing from a potential future boss creates immediate credibility. 3. Message length isn't what you think Conventional wisdom says, "keep it short," — and our data shows 101-150 words often performs best for initial outreach. But here's where it gets interesting: A/B testing reveals longer messages can drive higher-quality responses. A recruiting manager at Zapier found: "I had fewer opens and replies on the longer message, but more candidates replied with interest." Quality > quantity. The most successful messages don't ramble, but they do provide enough substance for the right candidates to self-select. 4. Address changing candidate priorities The market has shifted dramatically. Candidates now prioritize: — Career advancement opportunities — Flexibility and remote options — Strong company leadership and culture With Gen Z entering the workforce (they'll make up 58% of the workforce by 2030 with millennials), your messaging must evolve. They're 36% more likely to prioritize advancement and skill development than other generations. As Yext's Senior Director of Recruiting said: "We're not trying to sell, [...] we're trying to start a genuine conversation; when we know their pain points, we know what value prop to use." 5. True personalization is non-negotiable Basic personalization (just adding a name) performs no better than zero personalization in our data. However, highly personalized messages see a 73% engagement rate. This means: — Opening with 1-2 unique details about the prospect — Including a full paragraph that shows you've researched their work — Connecting their specific experience to the role you're filling For high-value talent, this is essential. The best recruiters have shifted from "Here's the job" to "I see your expertise, and here's why this specific opportunity aligns with your career trajectory."