Referral Request

Hi there, 

Great to hear you managed to already get in touch with a few!

Basically, don't ask for a referral. Try to have a genuine conversation with them, try to understand more about their experience and their perception of the firm / industry and don't ask questions that you could answer yourself with google. 

Then towards the end of the call, you could ask an indirect question regarding referrals, such as: ‘I know now companies are rather tough on screening candidates, and I just wanted to understand whether a referral is critical in increasing your chances?’ If at this point they don't proactively offer a referral, then it is what it is. Be polite, thank them and hope for better from the next call. 

I've outlined how to best conduct these conversations in the following guide. Hope you find it useful:

• Your Guide to Consulting Coffee Chats

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

Nice networking!

Your #1 goal is to establish a legitimate connection. Demonstrate your itelligence and capability. Show that you are a human. That they would want to work with you.

Be genuine in the call, have good questions, followup to what they say, and engage well with them.

If they have a good impression of you, they may offer a referral. If you want to ask, you can hint at it e.g. “Any advice for how I can have a strong application and increase my chances”.

LinkedIn is the best platform for this.

Good luck!

Hi there,

1) Now that I have few, I am hesitant about how to ask for a referral. Any advice on how to approach this?

I assume you scheduled a call with them.

For the call, I would prepare 3 main things:

• Your own intro pitch. 3-4 lines should be enough
• 3-4 questions on the personal experiences of the person. Avoid to ask questions only about the company
• A closing question for the referral. It should be an indirect request to avoid to be too pushy

Before the call, I would recommend to have your CV and Cover ready – in this way you can send them right away if the person wants to refer you.

2) Also, are there any other platforms that I can connect with consultants at?

LinkedIn has the biggest database, so I don’t think you need any other platform.

Good luck!

Francesco

Dear,

I would say, excellent! 

If you do not personally know a consultant working within the company you are applying for, LinkedIn is the perfect place to start expanding your network.

However remember, a referral is a commitment from the person in front of the company to say "I believe in this applicant and I think he or she has the talent we are looking for."

To earn the referral's trust, a LinkedIn message is not enough. It is not a transactional request that can be made randomly.

The approach I would follow is:

1. Search LinkedIn for a limited set of 2-5 people who (a) work in the target company, (b) have a similar background to yours, and (c) are from the same area/work in the office you are applying for. Hint: LinkedIn allows you to do targeted searches by entering these criteria as input, write me privately if you need help
2. Reach out to these people and get to know them better by arranging coffee chats. Ask questions, and learn more about their experience. This will allow you to derive value from the conversation by getting to know the dynamics of the company better while also strengthening your acquaintance with the person
3. Ask honestly for help on your application. There is nothing wrong with asking for feedback on your application and/or setting up a mock interview. On the contrary, it is a great way to allow the referral to get to know you better and assess whether they are eager to be your referral

I am sure that after these 3 steps, it will be much more natural to ask for a referral.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ping me privately to discuss this further!

Hi there,

It's great to see you're being proactive in your networking efforts! Here are a few pointers on how to approach asking for a referral:

Building the relationship: Before asking for a referral, it's crucial to have some level of relationship with the person. If you've only had minimal interaction, try to engage in a meaningful conversation first, showing interest in their work and experiences at the firm. This helps establish rapport and shows respect for their time.

Being respectful and professional: When you're ready to ask for a referral, be polite and professional. Explain why you're interested in the firm and the specific role, and why you believe you'd be a good fit.

Example: You might say something like, "I've really enjoyed learning about your experiences at XYZ firm, and it's reinforced my interest in applying. Based on our conversations and my background in ABC, I believe I could bring valuable skills to the team. Would you feel comfortable referring me for a position at XYZ?"

As for other platforms to connect with consultants, networking events, both in-person and virtual, are excellent opportunities. Check out professional organizations, consulting firm webinars, or industry conferences. You could also consider joining relevant groups on LinkedIn or other professional networking sites, as these often attract individuals in the consulting field.

Remember, networking is about building genuine connections. Be curious, respectful, and authentic in your interactions, and people will be more likely to want to help you.

If you want more advice or to practice these conversations, I'm here to support you. Good luck with your networking and job search!

Hello,

By “I have a few”, do you mean you have already spoken to them, or just added them on LinkedIn? If it's the latter, I recommend crafting a quick message introducing yourself, expressing your interest in their company, and asking for a brief coffee chat. If you can point out something you have in common as a rationale for reaching out (e.g., they are an alumni of your school, or work in the field you are interested in), adding that in helps establish proximity too. Once you have scheduled an initial phone call, I'd follow the advice laid out by other experts here to establish a connection with them.

Another opportunity is to join recruiting events that are offered by most consultancies. At these events you can get to know consultants and they can get to know you. With that, it is easier to get a referral.

You don't ask for a referral. You have a conversation trying to understand the job and how to position yourself, and ask what you should do to maximize your chances. If they want to give you a referral, they'll get the hint.

Hi There,

I think Pedro gave you the right angle - if you are able to show real interest  and commitment, leave a gut feeling of solid intrinsics and if bring a likeable human being AND you politely ask how to best approach the application - your contacts will get the hint 

Hi,

consultants get “info call“ requests from candidates seeking to get an edge with their application all the time. They know that you are doing this hoping to get a referral from them. If they like you and feel like you would be a good team member for them, they will likely offer a referral. So you should think about how you could leave such an impression. Bluntly asking for a referral is rather off-putting.

And since there is no guarantee that you end up getting a referral, you might as well use the time to get input on the questions/topics that actually matter to you when you talk to them.
 

Good luck