Getting Referrals That Actually Work

Referral Success Rates (If You Stick to the System)

This is why it works. Most people never even ask.

Prerequisites

Make sure you have a polished resume and LinkedIn profile first!

You’ve got a strong resume. Your LinkedIn profile is polished. But still no interviews. What gives?

Why Referrals Matter

You might hear that referrals don’t really matter. This may be partially true for some companies. But when someone inside a company vouches for you through the various methods we’ll talk about (submitting your resume, sending your info, or just dropping your name), it’s not just a polite gesture. It’s a multiplier.

Stat Check: Referred candidates are 4x more likely to get hired compared to cold applicants.

Your referrals turns your cold application into a warm handshake (warm app). And hiring managers? They like warm.

Types of Referrals

Important note: Not all referrals are created equal. Here’s the rundown:

System Referrals

• Submitted into the company’s internal portal
• Might have an option/requirement to fill out a note, questions about you, and/or a resume

Referral Links / Codes

• Special links that tag your application
• Early access links
• Common for smaller startups or internships

Hiring Manager / Recruiter Email

• Best case scenario
• Bypasses the portal entirely
• Human sees your resume, not the algorithm (ATS)
• Direct access to decision makers

Strategy: From Stranger to Referral

Step 1: Grow Your Network (Cold Outreach on LinkedIn)

This will require LinkedIn Premium.

• Send 100+ custom connection requests/notes per week. LinkedIn has a weekly cap or they might flag/ban you
• Target: employees at companies you want to work at (10-20 connection requests per company)
  • Find a company (example: Google) and search on LinkedIn “Google Software Engineers”
• Use filters: alumni, similar age, ethnicity, role
• Custom Message Formula: You’re going to want to change this to be more personalized (detailed examples in future)

  “Hey [Name], I’m a [School] student interested in [Company]. Saw your path and would love to connect!” “Hey [Name], I’m majoring in [major] at [School (if they’re alumni)]. I saw you were at [Company] and hoping to learn from someone ahead of me in their journey”

Step 2: Set Up the Call (Informational Interview)

Once they accept, ask for a 15-20 min chat. This isn’t just to “pick their brain.” It’s to:

• Learn about the company, team, and values
• Understand how they got in
• Ask about timelines, interview prep, and advice
• Build rapport

Pro-Tip: Set up a Calendly. You can link your calendar and make it as easy as possible for them to schedule something with you.

Psychology Hack: People are more likely to help once they've spent time talking with you.

Next, pop the big question:

• “It’s so crazy out there now. Would you be okay with referring me to position/listing? I just want to make sure my application at least gets seen”

Objection Handling: What If They Say No?

Some common excuses and your counterplays:

• “Referrals don’t do much at my company”

  “Totally get that - even if it doesn’t make a huge difference, I figured it can’t hurt. Would you mind submitting one anyway?”

• “I’m not sure how to refer”

  “No worries - do you know who I should ask? Or when you might be able to find out?”

• “We only refer people we’ve worked with”

  “Absolutely makes sense. Would it be okay to connect me with someone else who’s hired interns/new grads before?”

The Fortune Is in the Follow-Up

Referrals are rarely a one-and-done.

• Follow up if they ghost (assume they forgot, not that they said no)
• Follow up weekly or biweekly
• Use polite, grateful language
• Follow up after applying, too:

  “Hi [Recruiter Name], I just applied to the [Role] and wanted to reach out directly and express my excitement. I’d love to connect and chat more if possible!”

Additional Tactics to Supercharge Your Referral Game

Get More Than Just the Referral

During the call, always ask:

• “Would you be open to connecting me with your recruiter or hiring manager?”
• “Do you know anyone else on the team I could talk to?”

Stack those connections like LEGO bricks. Each new person = more exposure.

Use Chat if Needed

Sometimes they’ll prefer answering over LinkedIn chat instead of hopping on a call. That’s fine, here’s your mini script:

“Totally understand! My main questions are:

1. What was the interview/application process like for [Role]?
2. If it opens, would you be able to refer me? I know these roles are super competitive and just want to give myself the best shot.”

Timing Is Everything

Don’t blindly hit “Apply” without a referral plan.

Still apply if you’ve waited too long, but try to get that referral first.

What to Send When They Agree to Refer

Be a referral pro. Send this package:

• PDF resume
• Role you’re applying to
• Any application links if available
• Your contact info (email + phone) + Ask them if linkedin is the best way to reach them (ask for other contact info)

Bonus: Create a Google Doc template they can use to copy/paste into the referral form.

The Mentality

Referrals aren’t a one-time play. You’re not digging for gold, you’re casting a web. Week after week. Company after company.

Be patient. Be consistent. Be relentless.

Your future job offer isn’t waiting on a job board. It’s waiting in someone’s inbox, you just haven’t asked yet.

Now get out there and get that job