A quick guide to referral cover letters

People often say, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”. There is some truth to this in the professional world.

If you know an employee at a company you’re targeting or someone who can help make the introduction, it’s critical that you get your referral cover letter right. This is often the perfect foot-in-the-door you need to get called in for an interview.

In this guide, we’ll quickly explain what a referral cover letter can do for you and how you can artfully get it onto the page. After all, a good covering letter is often just as important as an optimized CV.

What is a referral cover letter and how does it work?

A referral cover letter works much like any other type of cover letter in that it quickly makes a case of why you’d be right for the job as well as giving your motivation for applying. The referral version goes a step further, however.

As well as detailing your educational background and your eligibility for the position, it also includes a named person either in the company or someone with a position of responsibility who can vouch for your character and competence. A direct contact such as this can be a real incentive for a recruiter to dedicate more time to your application.

The person referring to you can be:

• A friend or family member
• A former colleague
• A current or previous client
• A networking acquaintance
• An academic

Whoever you choose, always make sure they are the best and most well-suited connection possible to get the attention of the recruiter. They ideally should be known to the person doing the hiring and able to give a good preview of your suitability.

Should I ask for a referral before creating my cover letter?

It is good practice (and also polite) to get permission from the person you are going to name in your letter before sending it. To do this you can easily reach out to them informally by phone or email.

However, asking them directly could be important especially if the company approaches them for any reason to ask for more details about you. This is especially the case if you are planning to use a person you don’t know very closely, such as a Linkedin acquaintance who may not be ready for a surprise phone call about why you’re a good candidate.

Also, if you haven’t made them aware that you were going to use them as a reference, it could reflect badly on you as a candidate not only to the person you’ve named but also to the recruiter chasing up information about you.

How to mention a referral in your cover letter

Once you’ve got the permission of your contact it’s time to work their referral into your document. This is a fairly simple process but care needs to be taken that it’s done right.

Normally, a cover letter involves 3 key paragraphs. An introduction, some examples of why you’re suited for the job and a short conclusion. As the referral is intended to dazzle the employer, fit this information into the structure by including it upfront in that first paragraph.

When naming a professional contact in the letter it is vitally important that you carefully explain:

• Who is referring you: You should also explain what your connection is to them
• How you know the person you’ve named: This can be through a professional, familial or academic connection but it should be clear to the reader.
• Why your contact is referring you: Do they think your skills are a good fit? Have they worked directly with you? Make sure to tell the employer the referee’s reasons for backing you up.

If this is done right and the recruiter is suitably impressed with your credentials, you will see a lot more success in your job hunting. Of course to make sure your cover letter looks the business overall, remember to follow these important cover letter tips:

• Make the best first impression possible
• Use just a little design and colour to make the document stand out
• Keep the language formal but friendly
• Write in paragraphs of no more than 3 sentences
• Tailor your letter to each individual position you target
• Proofread everything thoroughly before you send it in

CV Whizz is here to help you create the best CV and cover letter possible. Use our document generator to make your own optimized and customizable templates and create a smart-looking covering letter in minutes.

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