How to find who can refer you
Practical places to look for an employee who may be willing to refer you.
1 min read
The best person to ask is someone who works at the company, understands the role, and is open to helping. Here is where to look.
On Doorstep
Browse companies or roles to see employees who have said they refer for specific roles, and read what each one looks for.
In your own network
- Former colleagues, classmates and course mates.
- People from your university or bootcamp alumni groups.
- Contacts from community groups, meetups and professional bodies.
Choosing the right person
- Someone in or near the team you want to join.
- Someone who has been at the company long enough to know how referrals work.
- Someone who has said publicly or privately that they are open to referrals.
Ask one person at a time and make it easy for them to say yes or no.
Put it into practice
Find a referrerTry a free tool
- Outreach planner · List who you could ask and get a simple order to contact them in.
- Weekly job-search planner · Set small weekly targets for asking, following up and practising, then tick them off. Printable.
Guides on this site were last updated on 17 Oct 2026. This is general information, not advice for your situation.
Unfamiliar term? See the glossary.
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