Referrals aren’t really a thing in the teaching world, so I was totally clueless about them when I transitioned — and likely missed some great opportunities for connection. Let’s start with some basic points of clarification:
- A referral is an explicit endorsement by someone who currently works at the company you’re applying to. Most companies have formalized referral programs; employees are encouraged to recommend qualified candidates for open positions in exchange for financial rewards if the referral is hired.
- A referral is NOT a guarantee of a job or even an interview, but it can still be super impactful. Career coach Shelley Piedmont explains in this LinkedIn article that referred applicants can expect their resume to be reviewed earlier and more carefully, and perhaps given the benefit of the doubt if the recruiter is on the fence. While this doesn’t seem like much, if a job has hundreds of applications then a referral can make the whole difference between you getting to talk to a human being vs. falling into a resume black hole!
So… how do you get one?
There is no straightforward answer to this, unfortunately — it’s like asking how to find a great date when you’re single. First and foremost, you need patience and time, which is why I love your use of the word “earn.”
To know who to target and how, it helps to understand the difference between hiring managers and recruiters.
A recruiter is a professional who finds the right candidates for open positions. EdTech recruiters might work in-house (for a particular company) or for a hiring agency that works with many companies.
Generally, recruiters are responsible for the first stages of the hiring process like reviewing resumes and conducting phone screens. At some point, there’s a handoff to the hiring manager. The hiring manager is the employee who requested to open the new position and is ultimately responsible for filling it (maybe a Sales Manager if the company is looking for an Account Executive, or an Implementation Manager for an Implementation Specialist position).
If you want a leg up in the job search process — and perhaps a referral — there are advantages to building connections with both recruiters and hiring managers. Recruiters are tapped into the EdTech job market and easy to find online (since networking is literally their job, they are usually quite active on LinkedIn). Unfortunately, this means you’re not the only one DMing them asking for a “quick chat;” they might get hundreds of messages each day, so your chances of never hearing back are decent.
One tip is to engage with recruiters before you need something. For example, like and comment on their posts. Reshare their job descriptions with your network, even (especially) if you’re not interested in that role. Post helpful content that relates to their field. These actions help you stand out as a positive and helpful presence to recruiters, making them more likely to answer your message later.
Hiring managers for specific roles may not be as inundated with messages on LinkedIn, so there’s a higher likelihood that you’ll get an answer if you reach out. Even better, they are the ones who ultimately decide who to hire; If you make a strong impression, you may never even have to talk to a recruiter for that role. It can be tricky to actually find the hiring managers for jobs you’re interested in, but this excellent article can help!
Last bit of advice: I wouldn’t ask for referral from someone you haven’t actually talked to in person or over the phone. I mentioned that companies often provide a financial incentive to employees who make successful referrals, so recommending you can be a win for all parties. But because an unsuccessful referral can reflect poorly on the referring employee, most people will want to get to know you a bit before taking the leap.
So — introduce yourself, share a bit about your background and goals, and explain that you’d like to know more about the role. If they do respond and you have a productive and warm conversation, I would suggest following up with a thank-you note and *politely* asking for a referral at that stage.