When sourcing candidates for open roles from your external network, consider asking for referrals from:

• Business partners
• Customers
• Alumni
• Former employees
• Professional communities

To ask for referrals from your current employees, check our employee referral program sample email template and refer a friend email template.

In emails to your external network, include:

• The role you’re hiring for, along with key responsibilities and a link to the full job description
• The main skills and knowledge required for the role
• A brief description of your company/team or benefits attached to the role, that your recipients could share with potential candidates
• The referral process your recipients should follow to refer a candidate

End your email with a simple thank-you note to show your appreciation.

Customize this template with a more formal or informal tone, depending on your company culture. Make sure to keep your message short and clear, so that people from your network can refer qualified candidates.

‍

Email Template to a Recruitment Agency or External Recruiter

Subject Line: We’re hiring! / Do you know a great [Job Title]?

Hi [Recipient’s Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I'm reaching out because [Company Name] is currently looking to fill the position of [Job Title], and we would love your assistance in finding the right candidate.

Here at [Company Name], we always aim to collaborate with talented individuals, and we believe you could help us find our next great team member. The role involves [Include 1-2 key duties and link to the job description, e.g., “This person will join our team of mobile developers and will be responsible for improving our iOS applications.”]

We are specifically looking for candidates with the following skills and qualifications:

• [List key requirements, e.g., “Experience with Swift and a strong interest in mobile technologies are required for this role.”]

This is an excellent opportunity for a [Job Title] who wants to [e.g., work in a diverse environment and serve customers like X, Y, Z / be part of a growing team and help us build X product / join our X team, work with high-end technology, and attend global conferences that will help them develop professionally.]

If you know someone who you think would be a good fit, it would be wonderful if you could refer them by [e.g., emailing their contact details or resume to me.]

Please feel free to contact me via email or at [Phone Number] if you have any questions or need more information.

Thank you for your assistance.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Job Title]
[Company Name]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]