How to Get a Referral or Introduction to a Hiring Manager Instead of Applying Online
The most reliable way to reach a hiring manager without applying online is a referral or warm introduction: someone the hiring manager already trusts connects you directly and explains why you’re worth talking to. That person can be a mutual connection, an employee at the company, or an AI career agent that works with the company.
An introduction works because it skips the part of hiring where most candidates get lost: the application pile, the applicant tracking system and the first recruiter screen.
This guide shows who can introduce you, how to find the right hiring manager, exactly what to write when you ask, and what to do when you don’t know anyone at the company.
TL;DR
- Online applications rarely reach a hiring manager: in one large study, only 3% of inbound applicants got an interview, compared with 40% of referred candidates.
- The people who can introduce you are mutual connections, employees, alumni, investors and AI career agents.
- Always send a short, forwardable note: who you are, why this role, and one piece of proof.
- When you don’t know anyone, start a conversation before asking for a referral, or use an AI career agent that already works with the company.
- Follow up once, track every request, and keep each ask specific to one role.
Why Do Online Applications Rarely Reach a Hiring Manager?
Because there are too many of them, and they all look the same.
Ashby analyzed more than 38 million applications across 93,000 jobs from 2021 to 2024. Inbound applications made up about 94% of everything companies received, but only 3% of inbound applicants reached an interview. Referred candidates reached an interview 40% of the time (Ashby).
The same pattern shows up outside tech. In CareerPlug’s analysis of hiring at more than 60,000 small businesses, employee referrals made up only 2% of applicants but 11% of hires (CareerPlug, via StaffingHub).
The reason is simple. An application asks a busy team to find you in a pile. An introduction puts you in front of the one person who decides, with context from someone they trust.
Who Can Introduce You to a Hiring Manager?
More people than you think. Here are the main options, from warmest to coldest:
| Who | How to find them | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| A mutual connection who knows the hiring manager | LinkedIn 2nd-degree connections, former colleagues, friends | The hiring manager already trusts their judgment |
| An employee at the company | LinkedIn search by company and team | Many companies reward employees for referrals, so they have a reason to help |
| Alumni from your school or bootcamp | Your alumni network or LinkedIn school filter | Shared background makes people more willing to reply |
| The startup’s investors | The investor’s portfolio page and team list | Investors want their companies to hire well and often introduce candidates |
| An AI career agent | An agent that works directly with hiring companies | It introduces you to the person hiring, only when both sides want to talk |
| The hiring manager directly | Job post, team page or LinkedIn | Cold, but a specific, short note can still work |
Start at the top of the table and only move down when you run out of options for that company.
How Do You Find the Right Hiring Manager?
The hiring manager is usually the person the new hire will report to, not the recruiter. To find them:
- Read the job post closely. Lines like “you’ll report to the Head of Data” or “join our platform team” tell you exactly who to look for.
- Search LinkedIn by team and title. Search the company name with titles such as “Engineering Manager,” “Head of Product” or “Director of Growth,” then match the team to the role.
- At startups, go to the top. Below about 50 people, the founder or CTO is often the hiring manager for early roles.
- Check recent posts. Hiring managers often announce openings on LinkedIn. A comment or reply on that post is a natural opening.
If you can’t tell who it is, ask an employee: “Do you know who’s hiring for this role?” is an easy question to answer.
How Do You Ask for an Introduction Without Being Awkward?
Make it easy to say yes. The person introducing you should be able to forward your note in one click, without rewriting anything.
Asking a mutual connection
“Hi Sam, I saw that you know Priya, who leads platform engineering at Acme. Acme is hiring a senior backend engineer, and the role matches the payments infrastructure work I’ve done for the last five years. Would you be comfortable introducing us? I’ve written a short note below that you can forward as is.”
The forwardable note
“Priya, I’d like to introduce Maya. She’s a backend engineer who has spent five years building payments infrastructure, and she’s interested in your senior backend role. Here’s her LinkedIn: [link]. Happy to connect you two if you’re open to it.”
The note follows a simple structure: who you are, why this role, and one piece of proof. Three sentences is enough. Anything longer gets skimmed.
How Do You Get a Referral at a Startup When You Don’t Know Anyone?
Start a conversation first, and ask for the referral later. A cold “can you refer me?” to a stranger rarely works. A specific question about their work often does.
- Message an employee on the team with a genuine question about the work, not a request for a favor.
- Use your alumni network. People reply more often to someone from their own school or former company.
- Show up where the team is. Comment thoughtfully on their posts, contribute to their open-source projects, or join their community events.
- Go through investors. Many investors list portfolio companies that are hiring and are happy to pass along a strong candidate.
- Use an AI career agent that already works with the company, so the introduction doesn’t depend on who you happen to know.
Messaging an employee you don’t know
“Hi Daniel, I’m a backend engineer interested in the Senior Platform role on your team. I noticed you moved from payments to platform last year, which is similar to the move I’m making. Would you be open to a 15-minute call about what the team is working on? If it seems like a fit afterward, I’d appreciate a referral, but no pressure either way.”
Should You Message the Hiring Manager Directly?
Yes, when you have no warmer path, as long as the message is short and specific. Mention the role, one concrete reason you fit, and one link that proves it.
“Hi Priya, I’m a backend engineer with five years in payments infrastructure. Your opening for a Senior Platform Engineer lines up closely with a ledger migration I led last year. I’ve applied through your site and wanted to reach out directly in case a short conversation would be useful. Here’s a one-page summary of that project: [link].”
If there’s no reply after a week, follow up once. After that, move on.
How Can Refer’s Lia Help?
Refer’s AI career agent, Lia, does the hardest part of this process for you: she finds roles that fit and introduces you directly to hiring managers, CTOs and founders, with no application pile in between.
- The company is expecting you. Every open role on Refer has a named person at the company who has agreed to receive introductions.
- Every introduction is double opt-in. Lia connects you only when you and the company both say yes.
- She works around the clock and checks each role against your experience and what you want next.
- Your search stays discreet. Your profile is hidden from your current and past employers, and your minimum salary is never shared.
- She has a track record. Lia has made more than 5,000 introductions.
Refer is free to use, and you pay only if you’re hired through one of Lia’s introductions. That’s deliberate: when you use a job-search product for free, you’re the product, not the client, and the companies paying for it come first. At Refer, you’re the client, so the entire product is built around one goal: getting you hired. Get started with Lia.
Examples and Templates You Can Use
| Scenario | Example script |
|---|---|
| Asking a friend for an intro | “You know Priya at Acme. Would you be comfortable introducing us? I’ve written a note you can forward as is.” |
| The forwardable note | “Priya, meet Maya: five years building payments infrastructure, interested in your senior backend role. LinkedIn: [link].” |
| Messaging an employee | “Would you be open to a 15-minute call about what the team is working on? If it seems like a fit, I’d appreciate a referral.” |
| Messaging the hiring manager | “Your opening lines up closely with a project I led last year. Here’s a one-page summary: [link].” |
| Following up once | “Hi Priya, following up on my note from last week about the Senior Platform role. Happy to share more if it’s useful.” |
| After a “not right now” | “Thanks for letting me know. If the team opens a similar role later, I’d love to hear about it.” |
How-To: Get Introduced to a Hiring Manager in 8 Steps
- Pick 10 to 15 target companies. A short list lets you personalize every message. Long lists turn into mass outreach.
- Find the hiring manager for each role. Use the job post, LinkedIn titles and the team page. At small startups, start with the founder or CTO.
- Map your connections. Check 2nd-degree connections, former colleagues, alumni and investors for each company.
- Write your three-sentence note. Who you are, why this role, one piece of proof. Make it forwardable.
- Ask for one introduction at a time. Name the specific person and role, and attach the note.
- When there’s no connection, start a conversation. Ask an employee a genuine question before asking for a referral.
- Follow up once. Wait about a week, send one short follow-up, then move on.
- Track every request. Keep a simple list of company, role, contact, date and status so nothing falls through the cracks.
Focused FAQ
How do I get introduced to a hiring manager instead of applying online?
Find someone the hiring manager trusts, such as a mutual connection, an employee or an AI career agent that works with the company, and give them a short note they can forward.
How do I get a referral at a startup without knowing anyone?
Start with a conversation, not a request. Ask an employee a specific question about their work, reach out through alumni or investors, or use an AI career agent that introduces you directly.
What are the best alternatives to applying through job boards?
Warm introductions from your network, direct messages to the hiring manager, and AI career agents that connect you with the person hiring.
Is it okay to message a hiring manager directly on LinkedIn?
Yes. Keep it to three or four sentences, mention the specific role and one concrete reason you fit, and follow up only once.
What should a referral request include?
The exact role, why you fit in one sentence, one link that proves it, and a ready-to-forward note.
Does Refer apply to jobs for me?
No. Lia doesn’t send applications. She introduces you directly to the person hiring, only when you and the company both say yes.
About the Author
Renata is on the founding team at Refer.