{"id":"wri-job-referral-ask-former-coworker","audience":"job-seekers","category":"writing-emails","technique":"constraints","title":"Ask a former coworker for a referral in one short message","free":false,"task":"You want a former coworker to refer you for an opening at her company. Write a LinkedIn message under 70 words. The first sentence is the ask with the current job ID, then one line on why you fit, then offer to send a 3-line blurb she can paste. No 'I hope you're doing well' opener. Write a prompt that gets that message.","materialLabel":"The job posting info and your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"JOB: Senior Customer Onboarding Specialist, Tidewell Software (Austin or remote)\nPosted Oct 20 as job ID R-4471. Reposted Nov 3 with a new ID, R-4498 (the old link now says \"position closed\"). Referral bonus program for employees.\n\nMY CONTACT: Denise Okafor. We worked together at Harbor Freight Lines (2021-2023). She was in sales ops, I was in customer onboarding. She joined Tidewell 8 months ago as a Sales Ops Manager. We haven't talked since her farewell lunch.\n\nWHY I FIT\n- 4 years in customer onboarding, last 2 as team lead.\n- Cut average onboarding time from 21 days to 12 at my current job (Ridgeline Freight).\n- Posting asks for \"experience with B2B SaaS onboarding\". Mine is logistics software, which is close.\n\nOTHER\n- I know referrals help a lot at Tidewell because recruiters review them first.\n- I'm also applying to two other companies.\n- Denise loved the burrito place by our old office (Tito's).","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":70}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 70 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Cap each part: \"3 sentences, each under 18 words.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Warming up too long","why":"AI messages open with \"Hope you're doing well! It's been a while...\", so the ask lands at the end.","fix":"Say it: \"First sentence is the ask, with job ID R-4498.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Using the closed job ID","why":"The notes list the old ID first. The AI may use R-4471, which leads to a dead link.","fix":"Add: \"Use the current ID, R-4498.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"No reason or no help","why":"The AI asks for a favor without making it easy for her to say yes.","fix":"Add: \"One line on my 21-to-12-day result, then offer a 3-line blurb she can paste.\"","checks":["r1","r2"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Sets a word limit","patterns":["\\d+\\s*words","word (limit|count)"]},{"label":"Leads with the ask","patterns":["first sentence","lead with","start with","ask first"]},{"label":"Uses the current job ID","patterns":["r-?4498","job id","current id"]},{"label":"Makes it easy for her","patterns":["blurb","paste","3.line"]},{"label":"Skips the warm-up","patterns":["hope you'?re","no (small talk|warm.?up|pleasantries)","skip"]}],"hint":"People say yes to referrals that are clear and easy. Tell the AI to lead with the ask, use the right ID and offer something she can paste.","rubricLabels":["The first sentence (after a greeting like 'Hi Denise,') asks her to refer Sam for the Senior Customer Onboarding Specialist role and gives job ID R-4498 (not R-4471), with no 'hope you're doing well' or catch-up line before it","Gives one specific reason Sam fits, such as cutting onboarding time from 21 to 12 days or 4 years in customer onboarding","Offers to send a short 3-line blurb she can paste, and does not mention other job applications"]}