Free tool · Runs in your browser
Reference request email template
Need someone to vouch for you? Fill in who you are asking, the role and the company, choose whether they were your manager, a colleague or a professor, and copy a short, polite reference request.
Private. Runs in your browser; nothing you type leaves your device.
Your text
Subject:
How to use it
- Fill in the details. Enter the name of the person you are asking, the job title and the company. Add the date references are due if the employer gave you one. The email updates as you type, and nothing you enter leaves your browser.
- Pick who you are asking. Choose the former manager version for someone you reported to, the colleague version for a peer you worked alongside, or the professor version for an academic reference early in your career.
- Send it before you list them. Copy the email and send it before you give their name to the employer. Once they agree, forward the job description and your resume so they know what the role needs and what to highlight.
Example
What was entered
- Their name
- Dana
- Job title
- Operations Coordinator
- Company
- Brightline Logistics
- Your name
- Priya Nair
- References due by
- October 16, 2026
Former manager
Subject: Would you be a reference for me?
Hi Dana,
I hope you are doing well. I am in the later stages of applying for the Operations Coordinator role at Brightline Logistics, and I would be grateful if you would act as one of my references. You saw my work up close as my manager, and your view of it would mean a great deal to the hiring team. They have asked for references by October 16, 2026.
If you are happy to help, I will send you the job description, my updated resume and a few notes on the projects we worked on together, so you have everything in one place. If now is not a good time, I completely understand.
Thank you for considering it,
Priya Nair
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Frequently asked questions
Should I ask before listing someone as a reference?
Yes. Always ask first, so your reference is not surprised by a call and has time to think about what to say. Asking also gives them an easy way to decline if they cannot speak well to your work, which protects you from a lukewarm reference.
Who makes a good job reference?
Someone who has seen your work closely and fairly recently: a former manager, a senior colleague, a client or, early in your career, a professor or internship supervisor. Pick people who can speak to the skills the new role asks for, and ask each of them separately.
What should I send after they agree?
Send the job description, your current resume and a few lines on the projects or strengths you hope they can mention. Tell them who is likely to contact them and roughly when, and thank them again once the process is over, whatever the outcome.
Is my information sent anywhere?
No. This template runs in your browser: the email is filled in on this page as you type, and nothing you enter is sent to Applystead or anyone else. You copy the finished text and send it from your own email account.