Reference & Recommendation Request Templates

Ask for references without burning any.

Every reference you use is a favor you can't quite repay. These templates make the ask short, specific, and easy to say yes to — plus what to send them once they've agreed, so the call to the search firm goes well without them having to reconstruct your work from memory.

What’s inside

• Three ask templates (current colleague, former manager, board member)
• A one-page reference brief you send after they've said yes
• Guidance on which three references to line up for which role type
• A short section on the reference you can't use anymore and how to route around it

You may not need this if: You already have three warm references and know how to brief them.