Sample E-mail: The nudge your friend needs to make a connection

You’re at a party, a church event or your kid’s soccer game talking to an acquaintance about your job search or new passion when they mention, “Oh! I went to college with <insert name> who <does this really cool thing at a company of interest to you>. He’s a wonderful guy. I’d love to introduce you to him. He’d be a great person for you to know”.

Awesome!! You are excited.

Then days go by and they never make the introduction.

Here’s the thing: your acquaintance is busy. They most likely simply forgot to make the connection. They wouldn’t have mentioned the person if they didn’t genuinely want to help you connect. Other than your spouse or partner, there is no one else thinking about your job search as much as you.

Here’s what you do: Send a brief email or text— whatever is appropriate. It can say, “Hey Jeff! It was great seeing you last week at XX. Thank you for being so interested in my job search. You mentioned your former classmate XX, would you still be willing to make an introduction?”

Agree? Any other suggestions for a job seeker in this situation?

Author

  • Sarah Johnston

    I’m a former corporate recruiter and industry “insider” who got tired of seeing talented high-achievers get passed over for opportunities because they did not have the right marketing documents or know how to position themselves in interviews. I have relocated multiple times across the country as a “trailing spouse” and have had to execute job searches in completely cold markets (where I literally knew no one!) I have been named a LinkedIn Top Voice in the career space in 2019, HR Weekly’s Top 100 Most Influential People in HR, named the owner of the “best resume writing firm for experienced executives” by Balance Careers and a “top follow” by JobScan in 2019 and 2020.

Sarah Johnston

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