Ask a former manager to be my reference
Writes a polite reference request to a former manager or colleague, with a short brief that makes it easy for them to say yes.
The prompt
Write a message asking someone to be a reference for me.
Who: [NAME, their role, how we worked together and when]
How long since we last spoke: [TIME]
Role I'm applying for: [ROLE, COMPANY]
What I'd like them to speak to: [2–3 strengths or projects]
Timing: [when a call or email might come]
Task:
1. Write a short, warm request (email or LinkedIn message, under 150 words) that makes it easy to say no.
2. Write a one-page reference brief to send if they agree: the role, why I'm a fit, and reminders of the work we did together with specifics.
3. Write a short thank-you note for afterwards.
Never put words in their mouth or overstate our work together.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Career & Job Search prompts
What to fill in
- NAME, their role, how we worked together and when
- TIME
- ROLE, COMPANY
- when a call or email might come
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RTF structure (Role, Task, Format). RTF tells the model who to be, what to do and what shape the answer should take. It is the quickest structure that still gives noticeably better results than a bare request.
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