Whether you're unemployed¹ or supported by a regular paycheck, job hunting and blindly sending out résumés can be a tiring and frustrating² experience. So when the career gods smile in your direction and provide your dream position at a company where you know an employee, it can feel as though your professional traffic jam just opened onto the six-lane new-job freeway. But before you fire off that "Will you refer me?" email, consider some of these important factors that can make or break your chances at an interview.

不管你是待业青年还是干着低薪的工作，找工作、盲目地发简历出去对你来说一定是一段劳累而挫败的经历。所以当职业之神对你微笑，给了你一次梦想职位的机会，而你在那家公司正好认识一位员工的时候，你会觉得你的职业生涯好像已经开起了绿灯。不过当你发出那条“你能推荐我吗？”的邮件之前，你要考虑一些重要的因素，这些因素既有可能给你创造面试机会，也有可能毁了它。

How Do You Know Your Contact?

你和这个人有多熟？

If your intended referrer is your best college pal³ or Aunt Winnie, proceed with caution. While it's great to have friends or family who can vouch⁴ for you on a personal level, many hiring managers are more interested in your professional abilities. And getting a referral from someone who can't even repeat what you do for a living may come across as a weak attempt at getting your foot in the door, not a strong recommendation. The best contact is one who knows your career progression and accomplishments⁵.

假如你潜在的推荐者是你最好的大学同学或者你的温妮阿姨，你要谨慎行事。虽然有个好朋友或者家人能帮你做个人担保是很好的，但人事经理对你的职业技能更感兴趣。而如果你找的推荐者甚至都不能说出你在做什么工作，这种推荐会变得非常弱。最好的推荐者会是了解你目前的职业发展和成就的那个人。

Understand Your Contact's Position in the Company

了解你的联系人在公司里的职位

Your dream job resides in sales and marketing⁶, but your contact at the company works in tech support. At small companies, this link may be sufficient enough to secure you an interview, but you can't always count on it. The best referral will come from someone who is knowledgeable⁷ about the open position and the kind of requirements and experience it entails⁸.

你的梦想工作是销售或者市场部，但你的联系人在公司里却在技术支持部任职。在小公司里，这层关系或许已经足以保证你能参加面试了，但你不能总是指望着它。最好的推荐人应该是对空缺职位需要的经验有足够的了解的人。

Put Your Request in Writing

用书面形式提出请求

If you decide that your contact is a strong one, then make your request in writing. Your potential referrer can then take the time to thoughtfully consider whether or not she is comfortable making an introduction before responding to you with her answer. And you give her a chance to quickly research any pertinent⁹ information regarding the hiring manager and job qualifications.

当你已经确认你的联系人是个很不错的推荐人之后，你最好用书面的形式提出推荐请求。这样你潜在的推荐人就能有足够的时间充分考虑下是否方便在回应你的要求前做些介绍。而且也给她一个机会快速地研究一下有关人士经理和工作需求的信息。

Is Your Contact Willing to Provide a Referral?

你的联系人是否愿意提供推荐？

When making your referral request, ask your contact whether she is comfortable providing a referral. While you might be eager to cut to the chase by asking directly for an endorsement¹⁰, a wishy-washy or noncommittal referral can be worse than no referral at all, so don't take it personally if she refuses. But hopefully you've carefully considered your relationship with this person so that the answer is a confident "Yes!"

当你要求别人推荐你的时候，要问问你的联系人她是否方便替你做推荐。虽然你也许急于想开门见山地得到对方的支持，但一个模棱两可，态度模糊的推荐人甚至比完全没有推荐人更糟糕，所以如果她拒绝的话就不要在私人时间联系她。但还是希望你仔细思考过了你们的关系，并且确定答案会是“好的！”

Suggest a Pre-Interview

提出一次预面试

Even if your contact agrees to put you in touch with the hiring manager, offer to take her to lunch so you can provide her with the information she needs to deliver a strong referral. Describe your major professional accomplishments, and relate them to why you think you would be an ideal candidate for the listed position. By offering up the information she needs, you not only increase your chances of obtaining an interview, but you also make her look good to her coworkers by contributing an informed recommendation.

即使你的联系人同意把你介绍给人事经理，你还是应该请她吃顿饭，这样你就可以给她提供一些她需要的用来作强有力的推荐的信息。你可以描述一下你主要的职业成就，并将它们和你为什么会是这个职位的完美候选人联系起来。通过向她提供她所需的信息，你不但能提高你得到面试机会的可能性，在她向她的同事推荐你的时候，也会显得更靠谱。

Say, "Thank You"

表示“谢谢”

Before you even know if you've obtained the interview, send your referrer a thank-you note. You'll let her know that regardless of the outcome, you appreciate her time and effort. And even if this position doesn't pan out for you, your graciousness will keep you top-of-mind if similar positions arise in the future!

即使在你还不知道你是否能得到面试机会之前，就要给你的推荐人发一条感谢的信息。你要让她知道不管结果如何，你都非常感谢她付出的时间和精力。即使这次这个职位并不适合你，你的感谢也会让对方在下次有合适的机会时能马上想到你。