How to Name Drop with a Cover Letter Referral [With Samples]

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The purpose of a cover letter is to land you a job – and a referral can give you an edge. Hiring managers are a lot more likely to take your application seriously if they see you come recommended by someone they work closely with and trust.

In this article, we’ll show you how to name-drop a referral the right way.

Referral cover letter template

Use this template to start your cover letter the right way:

Referral cover letter samples

The key to writing an effective cover letter is aligning your tone with the company’s communication style while maintaining a sense of professionalism.

Example #1: Buttoned-up referral cover letter

Use more buttoned-up, formal language when:

Applying to traditional, hierarchical industries like banking, law firms, government agencies, healthcare institutions, or large corporations where formal communication is the norm
Targeting senior executive positions (C-suite, VP-level roles) where professionalism and gravitas are expected
You don’t have an existing relationship with anyone at the company and are applying cold through formal channels
The company culture appears conservative based on their website, job posting language, or industry reputation

Example #1: Formal

Dear Ms. Nkosi,

I am writing to formally apply for the Chief of Operations position at Unicore Technologies, which was brought to my attention by my former colleague, Imogen Shears. With seven years of progressive experience in corporate operations management, I […]

Example #2: Casual referral cover letter

Use more relaxed, conversational language when:

Targeting creative industries like advertising agencies, design studios, tech startups, or media companies that value personality and cultural fit
You have a personal connection who referred you or when the referral came through informal networking
The job posting uses casual language (“We’re looking for a rockstar developer” vs. “Seeking qualified candidate”)
The company emphasizes work-life balance, flat hierarchies, or startup culture in their messaging
Applying for roles that require relationship-building, like sales, client services, or community management where being personable is an asset

Example #2: Casual

Dear Ms. Ryder,

Conrad Pointer from your marketing team suggested I reach out about the CPA position at InstaMorCorp. As an experienced Certified Public Accountant with an MBA, I […]

Always try to find out the hiring manager’s name for your cover letter salutation to show you’ve researched the company. This approach is more personable than starting with “To Whom It May Concern.” If necessary, ask your contact to find out who’s responsible for hiring for the role.

How to find and add a referral to your cover letter

Follow these three steps to find a referral (if you don’t have one already) and how to mention them in a polite and professional way.

If someone has already told you about a vacancy at their company, you can skip to Step 3.

Step 1: Find someone you know at your target company

If you haven’t been told about the job by someone you know and you’re writing a cover letter in response to a job ad, find out if you know someone at the same company.

The simplest way to find a connection is to use LinkedIn and search for the company. If you have LinkedIn contacts following the company, you can see that information under the company’s name:

Cover letter referral step 1: find a conection on LinkedIn.

Click on the text “# connections follow this page” to view all of your connections and see if any of them list the company as their current place of work.

LinkedIn also tells you if alumni from your college work at a location:

Cover letter referrral: LinkedIn tells you if any alumni work at a company.

If your former classmates are among these alumni, you can view them all by clicking your college’s logo, and see if you know anybody.

Then, you can message or connect with anybody you know and ask if they’d be open to being a referral in your cover letter.

Company website

If all else fails, and you think you know that someone works at a company, you can try confirming through Google. There are two ways to use Google to search for contacts:

1. Use Google to search the company site by typing—

Replace “companywebsite.com” with the domain name. For example—

2. Search for—

to find only pages where the company and the person are mentioned together

Step 2: Ask for permission to mention their name in your cover letter

Before you name drop someone in your cover letter, asking for their permission is essential.

First, it’s polite, and you should avoid offending someone who talks to the hiring manager.

Second, by asking for their permission, they can prepare what they plan to say to the hiring manager — focusing on your accomplishments, skills for your resume, and work experience as well as what it’s like working with you (in other words, how your soft skills are).

If you forget to ask if you can drop their name, they’re likely to be surprised and not know what to say when the hiring manager speaks to them.

Example of an email asking someone to be a reference

Subject: Benefits Analyst Reference Check-In

Hi Sam,

Thank you so much again for letting me know about the job opening in your department! As we’ve discussed, I’ve put your name down as a referral in my cover letter (attached is a copy of both my cover letter and resume for your reference). I really appreciate this opportunity, so please let me know if there is anything further I can provide to make this process easier on your end.

Best Regards,
Amy

Step 3: Drop the contact’s name into your cover letter opening

When you start your cover letter, briefly mention the name of your referral.

Don’t explain how and why you know each other — the hiring manager can get that information from your contact, and explaining your connection takes up valuable space that you can use to highlight your various qualifications for the role.

Aim to keep your cover letter short. A short cover letter that highlights significant achievements is better than a long-winded one full of clichés.

For example, you can simply say:

My name is Zander Blom, and your colleague, Eugene Tan, recommended I apply for the open Bank Teller position that you’re advertising.

This introduction is simple and to the point. You introduce yourself and give the hiring manager a name in their company who they can speak to about your background.

If you’re sending an attached cover letter by email, mention your referral’s name in both the email body text and your attached cover letter because the hiring manager may —

not read your email body text thoroughly, or
save your full-length cover letter to read at a later time

Frequently asked questions about name dropping referrals in your cover letter

Using referrals strategically in your cover letter can significantly boost your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers. We’ve answered a few common questions about this so you can name drop with ease in your next cover letter.

What does “referred by” mean in a job application?

“Referred by” means someone who works at the company or knows the hiring manager recommended you for the position and suggested you apply.

Should I name drop in a cover letter?

100%! You should mention a referral’s name in your cover letter if they gave you permission, as it can help your application stand out and shows you have connections within the company.

Is it OK to say I was referred by a friend?

It’s fine to mention a friend referred you, but it’s more effective to use their professional title or relationship to the company rather than just calling them “my friend.”

Is being referred by someone the same as including references?

No, a referral is someone who recommends you for a job opportunity, while references are people who can speak about your work performance when contacted by employers during the hiring process.

Additional cover letter resources

We’ve compiled a list of resources to help you should you want to read up more about cover letters before sending yours off.

Years of Experience

Articles Written

Leora Joy Jones is a multidisciplinary creative who writes career content for job seekers. She is passionate about empowering people to invest in personal development. From recent graduates to career changers to DIY freelancers, she aims to cheerlead her readers to make informed choices.

Born in the USA and raised in South Africa, Leora now lives and works in Taiwan. She has a BFA in Fine Arts, an MA in Art Curation, and over 10 years experience writing and editing words on many topics. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

Expertise

Career consulting Resume writing and editing Creative strategy Research and fact-checking