Referrals are one of the best ways to get hired. Asking for a reference is however, a completely different thing. While asking for a job referral, you don’t want to seem too persuasive. There is nothing unethical in asking for one as many professionals land up in their dream jobs with the help of referrals.
Yet there are many risks in asking for job referrals. One of the greatest risk is the possibility of harming the friendship or relationship. That is probably the reason why many individuals hesitate to ask for a job referral.
While it can spoil relations if you do not know the right way to ask for a job referral, if you phrase it correctly, it may just give your career the right impetus.
Here are some ways in which you can ask a friend for a job referral.
How Do I Get a Job Referral From a Friend:
1. Be Precise While Speaking To Your Friend or Relative:
Some people hesitate to ask referrals from people they know. Their hesitation makes them be unclear and vague when they ask for a job referral. This is definitely not desirable.
Be very clear and reveal to your kin the exact type of referrals you require. If you want to work with MNCs, state that clearly. If you don’t do that you will get leads which have no use.
If there are loved ones who wish to help you out, they need to have a clear picture of what you are seeking.
If they are not very keen and you provide a vague description of your job requirement, they may just get rid of you by giving you random contacts that may not prove useful at all.
2. Tell your friend why you need the referral:
Everyone has a clear reason why they select a particular job. The reason could be because you possess certain special skills.
It could also be because you have a certain career goal that makes you start off with a certain job. You need to tell your friend or loved one the reason why you wish to do a certain job.
Your friend can help you get a suitable job you are looking for only if he knows why you need one. Explain to him or her main objective behind your search for a new job.
If you are looking for a long term career growth, then tell your friend about it. The more he knows how you think about your would be job, the better he would be at providing useful referrals.
3. Don’t be in a hurry:
Referral is nothing but benefitting from a personal relation at a professional front. Referrals usually work well only if you already have a strong bond with the person you seek reference from.
Hence, it is vital that you strengthen the bond before you seek a referral. Spend more time with the person and reach the level where he or she trusts your skills, abilities and reliability.
Never approach a friend, requesting for a job referral if you do not meet frequently. Referrals usually take time as the person who is offering a reference needs to have a trust on the person being referred.
Therefore, take your time, think about how you would approach your friend before asking for a referral.
4. All referrals do not have the same value:
The reference from a low level employee may not count as much as the referral from the manager of a firm. Hence, the designation and the role of an employee count greatly.
Another thing that may count a lot is the tenure of the employee in the same organisation. If the individual has survived in the same organisation for a long duration, his reference is surely going to have more significance.
Take into account the importance of your friend while asking him for a job reference. There are many other factors that you may need to take into consideration like introduction to important people within an organization.
Apart from referral, your networking skills are going to play a major role here. Once you get introduced to significant people, you must be aware how to make the best use of these contacts.
5. Nurture your friendship by adding value to it:
There is a mistake people commonly make especially in the case of referrals. They stay in touch with people only when they are in extreme need. This is a really wrong approach. Friendships are based on trust.
If you are willing to help others, you will get help when you are in need. Therefore, always maintain good relations with friends, so that you may ask them for assistance when you need it the most.
Talk to friends, call them up occasionally or arrange for get togethers. Maintaining good relationships in professional and personal fronts are bound to count later.
When you get in touch only during need, it gives an impression that you are extremely materialistic. Such an opinion only acts against you and hence needs to be strictly avoided.
6. Be passionate about the job you are looking for:
The person whose reference you seek should never have a negative impression about you.
He or she should never feel that you are in no mood to put in effort and so you are choosing the easy way asking for a reference. If such an impression is created, it will reduce your chances of getting a good reference.
Make sure that you don’t appear laid off while looking for a job referral. Don’t complain about your present job either. Instead, show your passion in exploring the growth possibilities in your new job. Share the same with your friend.
Your friend should feel that you possess the zeal to achieve success in the career you pursue. Your words and your ways should reveal your true passion.
If your friend takes your love for your profession seriously, she will find some really good job option for you.
7. Keep in touch regularly:
Your friend could be busy in his or her job life or domestic life. There could be other commitments that weigh heavily on their minds.
People have a busy schedule and often fail to remember commitments. Thus there is no use asking for a job referral and forgetting about it. Once you ask for a job referral, you also need to follow up at regular intervals.
Contact your friend on a regular basis about your job search. Request him for referrals in a number of companies. Calling up occasionally and reminding him or her about your job search also gives an impression that you are really serious about the job search.
While staying in touch is usually helpful, continuous calling can at times get annoying. You must know what is the limit.
8. Have a clear idea of what you are going to ask for?
Time is a valuable factor. Therefore, make up your mind about what you are going to say to your friend. Give the person a clear idea about the exact role you are looking for, and where and when you have applied.
The world today is extremely fast paced. If you take a lot of time expressing your ideas or putting it in words, you may fail to create the right impact on your friend.
Prepare well as to what you are going to say to your friend and say it effectively. A little practice could be of help.
9. Understand the concerns of your friend:
Though having a job change is your first priority, your friend may have priorities of his own. Therefore, ensure that you don’t appear too pushy by calling him regularly to ask for a job referral.
Once you have conveyed your message, give your friend ample time to make the referral. He or she may have other responsibilities to shoulder and it can be difficult for him or her to refer you instantly.
You also need to remember that in a hurry, things are bound to screw up. If you give things sufficient amount of time, they are sure to straighten.
10. Show your gratitude:
There are opportunists who fail to acknowledge or reveal their gratitude once their work is done. This is a very wrong approach. If you get a job because of a reference from your friend, you must make sure you show your appreciation to your friend.
Show your gratitude and stay indebted once you get hired with a company you want to work with. It will show that you highly appreciate your friend for referring you.
The appreciation you show is bound to strengthen your bond with your friend or relative. It will help you even in future. People grow only if they have relations to help and support them. This applies even in career and personal fronts.
