How to Get a Job Referral Through LinkedIn: A Step-by-Step Guide

Why Referrals Work and Why Most People Do Not Ask for Them

At most large companies, referred candidates skip the initial resume screening and go directly to a recruiter or hiring manager review. Referred candidates are 4 times more likely to be interviewed than cold applicants and are significantly more likely to be hired. Some companies offer referral bonuses up to $10,000, which means employees who refer strong candidates are financially motivated to help you.

Despite this, most job seekers apply online and wait. They do not ask for referrals because it feels awkward to ask someone for a favor, especially if the relationship is not close. The fix is to stop thinking of it as asking for a favor and start thinking of it as a professional exchange: you bring a strong candidacy, they get to look good for referring a quality person and potentially earn a bonus.

Step 1: Build Your Target Company List

Before you look for connections, you need a clear list of companies you want to work for. Be specific. "Tech companies in New York" is too broad to be actionable. "Stripe, Plaid, Brex, Rippling, and Mercury" is a list you can work with.

Build your list based on: industries you want to work in, company stage you perform best at (early stage, growth, enterprise), geography or remote preferences, and roles you know they regularly hire for.

Start with 20 to 30 companies. You are going to prioritize from there based on where you have connections.

Step 2: Find Your Connections at Target Companies

Go to LinkedIn and search for each company. Filter by "1st" and "2nd" degree connections. You are looking for:

First-degree connections: People you are already connected to. These are the highest-value for referrals because the relationship already exists.

Second-degree connections: People connected to someone you know. These require a warm introduction from your mutual connection, but they are still far more effective than cold applications.

Do not overlook alumni connections. Filter by your college or university and look for people who work at your target companies. Alumni networks have a built-in reason to help each other.

Build a spreadsheet. For each target company, list: the person's name and title, your connection strength (first, second, or alumni), and the specific role you want to reference when you reach out.

Step 3: How to Approach a First-Degree Connection

If you are already connected to someone at the company, reach out directly. Do not lead with "Can you refer me?" Lead with genuine interest and make it easy for them to help you.

Here is a template that works:

"Hey [Name], I hope you are doing well. I have been following [Company]'s work and noticed you are on the [team or function]. I am actively exploring my next move and [Role X] caught my eye. I know referrals make a difference at most companies, and if you think my background would be a fit, I would really appreciate it. I am happy to send my resume and a short summary of why I am excited about this role so it is easy for you to pass along. No pressure either way -- I just wanted to ask directly given our connection. Let me know what you think."

What this message does: it names the specific role, it acknowledges the effort you are asking them to make, it offers to make the process easy for them, and it gives them an out without making it awkward.

After they agree to help, send them your resume and a 3 to 4 sentence summary of why you are a strong fit for that specific role. Make it as easy as possible for them to forward your materials with a positive note. They should not have to do any work other than clicking send.

Step 4: How to Approach a Second-Degree Connection

If you are two degrees away from someone at your target company, you need to go through the mutual connection. Message your mutual connection first:

"Hey [Name], I noticed you are connected with [Person at Company]. I am exploring opportunities at [Company] and wondered if you would be comfortable introducing us or letting me use your name when I reach out. I know it is a small ask, and I completely understand if it is not a good fit. Happy to share more about what I am looking for if that helps."

If they agree, either ask them to make the introduction directly ("Would you be willing to send a quick note to [Person]?") or ask permission to reference their name in a cold message to the contact at the company.

Step 5: When You Do Not Know Anyone at the Company

If your target company has no first or second-degree connections in your network, you still have options:

LinkedIn groups and communities: Industry-specific LinkedIn groups often have members from your target companies. Engage genuinely in discussions before reaching out. A comment on someone's post creates a reason to connect.

Alumni networks: Use LinkedIn's alumni tool to find graduates from your school who work at target companies. Even if you did not know them in school, the alumni angle is a legitimate conversation opener.

Events and conferences: If your target company hosts or sponsors industry events, attending and meeting people there creates the kind of genuine connection that makes a referral request natural later.

Cold outreach with a strong profile: If you have no connection at all, a highly optimized LinkedIn profile combined with a targeted InMail message is your best option. See our guide on how to message recruiters on LinkedIn for templates.

What to Do After You Submit the Application

After your referral contact has passed along your information and you have submitted your application, send a thank-you message to your referral contact. Keep them in the loop as the process progresses. If you get an interview, tell them. If you get an offer, tell them. If you do not get the role, still thank them. You want them to feel good about helping you so they will do it again in the future.

If two weeks pass and you have heard nothing from the company, it is reasonable to ask your referral contact if they have any visibility into the status. Do not ask them to follow up more than once.

Building the Network Before You Need It

The best time to build referral relationships is when you are not job searching. People who have been consistently connected and engaged with their network have a much easier time asking for referrals than people who show up in someone's inbox out of nowhere asking for a favor.

Connect with colleagues, alumni, and industry peers consistently. Engage with their content. Share relevant updates. When you need referrals, the ask will be natural rather than awkward.

Your LinkedIn profile is the foundation of all of this. When a referral contact passes along your name and the recruiter looks you up, your profile needs to validate the referral. A weak profile can undo a strong referral. Make sure your profile is fully optimized before you start your referral outreach.

Want to know if your profile is strong enough to back up your referrals? Get your free Avery audit and know your profile is working for you before the recruiter looks you up.