1.

How to Email a Contact for a Referral

Have you ever wondered if applications you send online go into a black hole
never to be seen (or heard from) again? I have! The best way to make sure that
your resume gets seen by a human is through a referral. Do a quick LinkedIn and
Facebook search to find out if your friends, family members, and connections
know someone who works at the company. Now it’s time to reach out to them.

Dear X,

[Note: Start off with something friendly depending on how well you know the
person. It can range from “It was so great seeing you yesterday at lunch,” to
“Congratulations on your most recent article in Fast Company!” Don’t jump right
to the ask.]

I saw on [LinkedIn/Facebook] that you know [Name] from [Company]. I just

applied to be a [position title] there. I’m excited about the opportunity and the
company because [tell them why]. If you would be comfortable, would you
forward my resume and cover letter along to [Name]? I would really appreciate
it!

Best,

[Name]

2. How to Email Your Cover Letter and Resume

If the job you’re applying for specifically requires a cover letter (and not the more
modern cover email), you’ll have to write an email with your cover letter and
resume attached. Instead of repeating your cover letter in that email, write a short
note indicating that you’ve attached the necessary information, including a tiny
preview of what’s inside those attachments.

Dear X [Do some research and find the name of the hiring manager],

I was so excited to see the opening for the [job title] position. [Tell a quick story
about how you discovered the position or the company.] I’ve attached my resume
and cover letter, which explain all about my [tiny summary of experience featured
in your resume] and what I can do for [company]. Please let me know if I can
provide further information.
Thank you for your consideration.

Best,

[Name]

3. How to Send a Thank You Note After an Interview

The number one rule of interviewing: Always send a thank you note (or, in this
case, a thank you email). If you’ve interviewed with multiple people, send each of
them a separate email mentioning something you discussed. Use your thank you
note as another opportunity to reiterate why you are interested in the company
and the position *and* why you’d be a great fit for the role!

Dear X,

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me today. I enjoyed learning
more about [the company] and [the position]. [A sentence about why you’re
excited about the opportunity to work at the company.] I think that my experience
with [your skills that would be relevant to the job i.e. content strategy, community
management, client relationship management, long-form content, and the
creative process] mean I could contribute to the team right away.

Thank you again!

Best,

[Name]

4. How to Follow Up on Your Application After an Interview

So it’s been a few weeks and you haven’t heard back. Take the initiative by
politely following up. It will show that you are still interested in the position and
the company. Instead of just asking if they’ve made a decision, offer to share
information and complete something that would be helpful to them.

Dear X,

Thank you again for meeting with me and introducing me to more of the team.
I’m excited about the opportunity to work at [company name].
I wanted to check in on next steps in the interview process. And if it’s useful to
you, [Share more information, or offer to do a service—I just published X, or I
would love to take a stab at X.]

[If you’ve noticed an exciting change for the company i.e. a site redesign, raising
funding, or an award, mention it!]

Best,

[Name]

5. How to Ask Someone to Be Your Reference

When you are interviewing for a job, potential employers will almost always ask
for references. Checking references is usually one of the last steps of the hiring
process so it means that there is a high likelihood that you will get the job—don’t
let poor or lackluster references keep you from your dream job!

Always prep your references by asking them for their permission in advance.
There are a few reasons why this is an important step:

o One reason is that it gives the person an out. If the person doesn’t
think that they worked closely enough with you or didn’t have a
positive working relationship with you, they can say that it would be
better for you to choose someone else.
o Another reason to ask permission is because it is the polite thing to
do.
o Asking permission also gives you the opportunity to explain the
company, the position, and any information that might be pertinent
to helping them provide a stellar reference for you.

Dear X,

I hope that you are doing well! I recently applied to [position title] at [company
name] and I’d love to list you as a reference since we worked so closely together
at [company name]. [Provide background information about the company, the
position, and any skills you think the employer is looking for.]

[Mention anything about your current career progression if you haven’t worked
together recently.] Please let me know if I can list you as a reference.
Thank you!

Best,

[Name]