Getting a referral for operations roles

Operations and business roles cover a lot of ground, so a referrer will look for a clear picture of what you have run, improved or organised. Specific examples beat a list of tools.

Describe a process you improved

• What was slow, unclear or error-prone before you got involved.
• What you changed, and who you had to work with to do it.
• What was different afterwards, in terms the referrer can picture.

Show how you work with others

Operations work depends on other teams. A line about how you handled competing priorities, or explained a change to people who did not ask for it, tells a referrer a lot.

Connect it to the role

• Use the words from the job description for the skills they ask for.
• Say which part of the role you are most keen on, and why.
• Mention anything useful to know, such as notice period.

Keep your message short and let the CV carry the detail. Only say what you can explain in an interview.