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Reference request email
Ask a former manager to be a reference in a way that's easy to say yes to — with the context and talking points that make their job effortless.
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SubjectWould you be a reference for me?
Hi Anita,
I hope you've been well. I'm in the final stages for a Engineering Manager position at Northwind Health, and I'd be grateful if you'd be a reference for me — I think our work together on the billing platform migration in 2024 is the most relevant thing a reference could speak to.
If you're willing: they'd contact you by email or a 15-minute call, likely within the next two weeks. The role focuses on leading a small team through a legacy modernisation, so anything you could say about how I ran the migration cutover and kept the team steady through the rollback week would carry the most weight.
And of course, if now isn't good or you'd rather not, just say so — no explanation needed.
Thank you either way,
Kavya
How to use it well
- →Ask before you list them — a surprised reference is a lukewarm reference, and recruiters can hear the difference.
- →The talking points aren't scripting; they're a courtesy. You're saving a busy person twenty minutes of trying to remember which project you shone on.
- →Close the loop afterwards regardless of outcome — people who hear how it ended say yes again next time.