When it comes to securing a job, a referral goes a long way. Having someone at the organization who can vouch for you will help you stand out among a sea of applicants, and it will significantly increase your chances of getting an interview call. And this is where a referral cover letter will come in handy.
If you’re wondering ‘what is a referral cover letter?’, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ll look at:
The benefits of being referred
How to secure a referral for a job
Tips on writing an effective referral cover letter
Why do you need a referral?
Statistical Insight In the year 2021, according to Zippia.com, employee referrals accounted for 40% of all new hires in the United States. The cost-per-hire of employees hired through referral programs was $1,000 less than applicants hired from other sources. Also, 88% of employers rated referral programs as the best source for new applicants. |
Referrals are extremely helpful in landing a job. Even if a company does not have an active employee referral program in place, it may still rely on referrals as a way to speed up the hiring process and recruit strong candidates.
A referral can also provide insights into the organization, its culture, and the job role you’re applying to. You can leverage this type of information to make a stronger case for your hiring and create a compelling response to the question, ‘Why should we hire you?’
How to get a referral
Getting a referral can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. Here are a few tips to help you get a referral.
Consider networking
Networking is more than just connecting with people for the sake of getting a job referral. It’s the art of connecting with like-minded individuals, learning about their greatest triumphs and setbacks, and building a lasting, personal connection with them that will go a long way in helping you succeed in your career.
If you want to work at a particular organization and you don’t know anyone working there, you can leverage your LinkedIn account to reach out to some of the employees at the organization, talk to them, obtain their trust, and, in the long run, request a referral.
Expert Tip Ask for some career advice first If you want to connect with someone on LinkedIn for the purpose of landing a job, it’s best to introduce yourself and ask the individual for some career advice first. People are more likely to respond to requests for help because it implies that you value their opinion and think of them as a good source of reliable information. |
Ask for permission
Once you have developed a professional relationship and you notice a new job opening at their organization, you can ask them if it’s okay for you to mention their name as a reference on your job application.
This makes the referral aware of your intentions and gives them a heads-up before the hiring manager contacts them to discuss your employability. It also provides your referral with the opportunity to provide you with some insights into the organization and the job role itself.
Show your referral a copy of your cover letter
The final step in the process is to provide a copy of your referral cover letter to the referral to get their opinion. We’ll discuss the specifics of this type of cover letter in the next section.
How do you mention a referral in your cover letter?
One of the best ways to add a reference to your job documents is to write a referral cover letter. This is similar to a regular cover letter, with the addition of the name of your referral. When writing a referral cover letter, keep the following tips in mind.
Add the name of the referral first
Mention the name of your referral in the first paragraph of your cover letter. This lets the hiring manager know who’s referring you to the job, and it’s likely to pique their interest in your job application.
Here are two examples of introductory paragraphs that contain the name of your referral.
Example Example #1: If you know the referral and have worked with them The Marketing Coordinator position was highly recommended to me by [Name], the [job title] at your prestigious organization. [Name] and I have worked previously at [project name] in [year], and he/she believes that my event management skills will prove beneficial in helping arrange trade shows, webinars, and other community engagement events that will allow your organization to expand its outreach and attract more clients. Example #2: If you have not worked with the referral previously I recently had a conversation with [Name], the [job title] at your organization. He/she mentioned this amazing new opportunity for an Accounts Executive in the Sales Department and encouraged me to apply. Given my previous experience in B2B and B2C sales, client relationship management, and sales enablement, I believe I have the right set of skills and aptitude to help your Sales Department grow and streamline its operations while attracting, converting, and retaining more clients. |
Talk about your accomplishments
Mention some of your key accomplishments in your previous job roles. Make sure these accomplishments align closely with the job duties and responsibilities of the job you’re applying to. If you’ve obtained some information about the organization from your referral that will help strengthen your case, you can make a subtle reference to that information and talk about how your expertise can prove useful.
Make sure to proofread the document
Like all other job documents, your cover letter should be free from grammatical errors. It should contain short, crisp, and easy-to-read sentences. After creating your cover letter, spend some time reviewing it so that you can identify and remove errors. You can also ask a friend or family member to review it for you, just to be sure it does not contain any errors.
Sample referral cover letters
Now that we’ve discussed referral cover letters, let’s take a look at a few examples.
Example Example #1: You have previously worked with the referral [Your name] [Your address] [Your number] [Your email address] [Date] [Hiring manager’s name] [Company address] Dear [Hiring manager’s first name], It is with great interest and enthusiasm that I learned about the new [job title] opening at [company name]. I recently had a conversation with [referral’s name], the [referral’s job title] at your company, and [he/she] highly encouraged me to apply for this job role. As [he/she] can attest, I can provide the right blend of specialist skills, a positive attitude, and a fresh perspective that are crucial for this job role. With [referral’s name], I had the opportunity to work on some of the most challenging, yet rewarding, projects such as [project details]. Each successful project allowed me to hone my skills, learn more about the [job role], and provide a seamless end-to-end experience to our internal and external stakeholders that aligned with our strategic corporate objectives. Some of my key accomplishments include [Insert one accomplishment from a previous job role that is relevant to this job role] [Insert one accomplishment from a previous job role that is relevant to this job role] [Insert one accomplishment from a previous job role that is relevant to this job role] My experience working with [referral’s name] has prepared me to take on the challenges associated with the [job role] and deliver results that meet and exceed your expectations. I would deeply appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how I can prove to be an asset to your organization. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely, [Your name] Example #2: You haven’t worked with the referral in the past [Your name] [Your address] [Your number] [Your email address] [Date] [Hiring manager’s name] [Company address] Dear [Hiring manager’s first name], It is with great interest and enthusiasm that I learned about the new [job title] opening at [company name]. I recently had a conversation with [referral’s name], the [referral’s job title] at your company, and [he/she] highly encouraged me to apply for this job role. During my discussion with [referral’s name], I had the opportunity to learn more about the job opening at your organization and how closely my previous experience aligns with the duties and responsibilities associated with the new job role. Some of my key accomplishments include [Insert one accomplishment from a previous job role that is relevant to this job role] [Insert one accomplishment from a previous job role that is relevant to this job role] [Insert one accomplishment from a previous job role that is relevant to this job role] My expertise in [field name] has prepared me to take on the challenges associated with the [job role] and deliver results that meet and exceed your expectations. I would deeply appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss how I can prove to be an asset to your organization. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, [Your name] |
Key takeaways
When it comes to hiring, most organizations tend to lean more toward referrals than regular job applicants. Several organizations have dedicated referral programs in place that reward employees every time someone they refer to the organization is successfully onboarded.
Depending on how well you know the referring party, they can provide you with some insights into the organization and the job opening. You can use this information to create a compelling case for the hiring manager to hire you.
If someone has agreed to provide a referral for you, make sure to include their name in the opening paragraph of your cover letter. This will not only make your case stronger, but it will also let the hiring manager know that they can reach out to the referring party to obtain more information about you. The end result would be a faster hiring process.
One of the best ways to land a referral for a job is to invest in professional networking. Consider using your LinkedIn account to reach out to people who are working at an organization you wish to join, connect with them, engage them in conversations, and, in the long run, ask for a referral if they would be comfortable in doing so.
Make sure to thoroughly proofread your referral cover letter before submitting it.
