Reference Request
Ask for a reference
in a way that makes
it easy to say yes.
Enter who you're asking, the role you're going for, and a specific moment from your time together. Get a warm, personal request that gives your reference everything they need to write something great.
Free & unlimited · No credit card needed · Ready in under a minute
Marcus Kim
Former manager · Figma (2021–2023)
Subject
A quick favour — reference for a Senior PM role at Notion
Hi Marcus,
I hope you're doing well! I'm currently interviewing for a Senior PM role at Notion and the hiring team has asked for references. I immediately thought of you given our work together on the Design Systems rollout at Figma...
If you're comfortable, it would mean a lot. I've included a few highlights from our time together to make it as easy as possible for you...
— continued —
How it works
A request that makes it easy for them
Who are you asking?
Name, relationship type, and the company and time period you overlapped. The request is framed differently depending on whether this is a former manager, a colleague, a professor, or a mentor.
What role are you going for?
The job title and company you're applying to. This shapes the subject line and helps your reference understand what the hiring team is likely looking for.
Add a specific moment to reference
One project, win, or collaboration from your time together. This makes it easy for your reference to write something specific and genuine — not a generic character statement.
Get a warm, specific email
A request that's personal, explains exactly what you need, respects their time, and includes the highlights they'd need to write a strong reference.
Relationship types
The tone changes with the relationship
A message to a former manager reads differently from one to a university professor. Pick the type, and the letter adapts.
Former manager
Someone who managed you directly — reports on your performance, work style, and impact.
Colleague
A peer you worked alongside — can speak to collaboration, reliability, and how you show up on a team.
Professor
An academic reference for early-career roles or programmes — speaks to academic ability and potential.
Mentor
Someone who advised or sponsored your career — a strong character and growth reference.
What makes it different
Not a generic copy-paste template
Makes it easy to say yes
Gives your reference everything they need
The email includes the job context, your shared history, and specific highlights they can draw on — so saying yes feels easy, not like a project.
Relationship-specific
Framed for the relationship you actually have
A request to a former manager sounds different from one to a university professor or a peer. The letter is written for the specific dynamic.
Specific and personal
References the work you did together
Built around a real project or shared win — not generic praise. Your reference will remember the moment you name, and the hiring team will hear the difference.
Pricing
Always free. No limits.
Free
Unlimited reference requests — no restrictions.
- Unlimited reference requests
- All 4 relationship types
- Gmail and copy options
- All tone options
- No credit card needed
Credits
Credits for resume tailoring and paid tools — reference requests don't use credits.
- 20 credits for other tools
- 1 credit per skills gap analysis
- 1 credit per interview prep
- 1 credit per salary letter
- Credits never expire
Pro
Unlimited everything — reference requests are free even on Pro.
- Unlimited reference requests
- All resource tools
- Unlimited resume tailoring
- Cover letter generation
- Full ATS breakdown
Get started
Ask well. Get a strong reference.
A thoughtful request sets your reference up to say great things. It takes two minutes and it's completely free.
Write a reference request free