Networking

How to Ask for a Warm Introduction

A warm introduction is the single most effective way into a company — and asking for one well is a small skill that pays off for your whole career.

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Example — what you’ll see
in
Someone who works at your target company
🎓 Same university as you  ·  💼 Shared past employer
🔥 Strongest
in
A recruiter at your target company
🎓 Same university as you
🎓 Alumni

✍️ Ready-to-send intro“Hi — we both studied at [your school]. I’d love to hear about your path to a company you are targeting before I apply…”

… plus everyone else in your network who can put in a good word.

See who can refer you in — pick your target company:

Short answer: Ask the mutual contact directly but make it effortless: name exactly who you want to be introduced to and why, and hand them a short, forwardable blurb they can paste with one line of their own. Give them an easy out ("no pressure if it is not a fit"). The key is doing the work for them — a forward-ready ask gets a yes; a vague "can you connect me with someone?" gets a maybe.

Make the ask forward-ready

The reason warm-intro requests stall is that they make the other person do work — figure out who you mean, what to say, and how to frame you. Remove all of it. Name the specific person or team, say in one line why the introduction makes sense, and provide a short blurb they can forward as-is.

When the entire ask is "just forward this if you are comfortable," saying yes is trivial — and people say yes to trivial, low-risk favors readily.

The double opt-in

The most respectful format is the double opt-in: you ask your contact to check with the other person first before making the connection, so no one is put on the spot. It signals you respect everyone's time and makes your contact comfortable vouching for you.

It also tends to produce better introductions, because the person on the other end has already agreed to expect you.

First, find who can introduce you

A warm introduction requires a mutual contact — and you may not realize who yours are at a given company. FindWarmIntros surfaces the people you share a school or past employer with at any target company, so you can see who is positioned to introduce you, and it drafts the note.

That turns "I wish I knew someone there" into a specific person to ask for a specific introduction.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I ask for a warm introduction?
Ask the mutual contact directly and make it effortless: name exactly who you want to meet and why, provide a short forwardable blurb, and give an easy out. The more forward-ready the ask, the more likely the yes. A vague "can you connect me with someone?" is much easier to leave unanswered.
What is a double opt-in introduction?
It is when your contact checks with the other person before connecting you, so neither party is put on the spot. It is the most respectful format — it signals you value everyone's time and makes your contact comfortable vouching for you, and it usually leads to a warmer first conversation.
What should the forwardable blurb say?
Two or three lines: who you are, what you are looking for, and one specific reason the introduction makes sense — written so your contact can forward it without editing. Removing the work is exactly what turns an intro request into an actual introduction.

Keep going

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