# How to get a warm introduction to a hiring manager, step by step > A warm introduction is when someone who knows you both connects you to a person you want to reach, with their consent. It differs from a referral and from cold outreach. Ask the connector privately first, make declining easy, and give them a short note they can forward unchanged. Source: https://warmada.com/blog/how-to-get-warm-introduction · Publisher: Warmada (https://warmada.com/editorial) · Published 2026-10-24 **How this article was made.** Practical instructions with original templates and worked examples. Product-specific statements use the sources linked in the article. Examples are illustrative, not candidate case studies. We have not measured reply rates, interview rates, or hiring outcomes. No named expert review is claimed. AI-assisted research and writing, published by a job outreach software provider. ## 1. What a warm introduction is, and what it is not In a warm introduction, a mutual connection tells a third person who you are and why you might talk, and the third person has agreed to hear from you. The connector vouches only for what they know, such as that you worked well together or share a professional interest. A referral is different. It is a formal submission through an employer’s referral programme, tied to a specific opening, usually made by an employee. The guide on asking for a job referral covers that route. An introduction is a conversation opener and may not involve the programme at all. Cold outreach, by contrast, has no shared connection, and calling it ‘warm’ would misdescribe it. ## 2. Find a genuine path List people who already know you and could plausibly know someone on the target team. Former colleagues and managers are the strongest, because they can speak to your work. Alumni, members of a professional group or community you both take part in, and second-degree connections visible on your professional network are all legitimate starting points. Judge each path by what the connector actually knows. A friend of a friend who has never met you can only say ‘this person asked me’, which is a weaker thing to forward. Do not stretch a shared school or a single group event into a relationship you do not have. - Someone who worked with you and now works at, or near, the company. - A person in a shared community who knows both of you by name. - A second-degree connection who has agreed to a short chat first. - An alumnus willing to say who owns the area, even if they cannot introduce you. ## 3. Ask the connector first, so they can say no Make your request privately and separately from the person you want to meet. This permission-first pattern, sometimes called a double opt-in, lets the connector decline without anyone being put on the spot, and it protects both relationships. Name the role, say what you are asking for, and offer an easy exit. Link the posting so the connector sees what you mean. **Fictional ask to the connector** ```text Subject: Quick favour, and fine to say no Hi Jordan, I’m applying for the Product Operations Manager role at Fernhill Labs (posting: [link]). I saw you’re connected to Mira Castellano, who leads that team. Would you be comfortable introducing us by email? If you’d rather not, or don’t know her well enough, no problem at all. If it helps, I’ve written a short note below that you can forward as is. Thanks, Sam ``` ## 4. Write a note the connector can forward unchanged Busy people do not want to compose an introduction. Give the connector a short blurb that describes you in your own words and states one request. Keep it to a few sentences, put the role up front, and avoid anything the connector would need to confirm. The blurb states one fact the connector knows first-hand and does not promise an outcome. Replace every detail with true ones, and let the connector change the wording freely. **Fictional forwardable blurb** ```text Mira, meet Sam Rivera. Sam and I worked together on supplier operations at a previous company. Sam has applied for the Product Operations Manager opening on your team and would value ten minutes of your view on the role. Sam, over to you. I’ll leave you two to it. ``` ## 5. What to do once the introduction is made An introduction gets you a reasonable hearing, not a job. Respect the answer if the person redirects you to the portal or to a recruiter. 1. Reply to the new thread within a day, and move the connector to bcc so they are not copied on scheduling. 2. Thank the connector separately and briefly. Do not wait for an outcome. 3. Make your message specific: the role, one relevant piece of work, and one request the person can answer in a sentence. 4. Apply through the employer’s stated process if you have not, and mention it. 5. Tell the connector how it went, whatever the result. That closes the loop and keeps the door open for next time. ## 6. When no path exists If you cannot find a connector who knows you, do not invent one and do not describe an approach as an introduction. Contacting someone you do not know is cold outreach, and a clear honest cold message is acceptable. Say who you are, why this person, and one small ask. The cold email templates guide has structures for an open role, a team with no matching vacancy, and a career change. You can also keep looking: join the relevant community, attend an event, or ask a former colleague who they know. A path may appear later. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a warm introduction for a job? It is when a person who knows both you and a hiring contact, such as a manager or team lead, connects the two of you with the contact’s consent. The connector explains who you are and why you might talk. It differs from a formal employee referral and from cold outreach, and it does not guarantee an interview or an offer. ### Is a warm introduction the same as a referral? No. A referral is a formal submission through an employer’s referral programme for a specific opening, normally by an employee. A warm introduction is an informal connection between two people and may happen when no role is open. One can lead to the other, but you should not describe an introduction as a referral. ### What if my connection barely knows me? Be honest about it and ask for less. A connector who barely knows you can still say that you contacted them and share a role, but they cannot vouch for your work, so a forwarded note should say only what is true. Often a better ask is a pointer to the right person or team, which they can give without putting their name behind you. ### Can I ask a connector to introduce me to someone they only know online? You can ask, but expect many to decline, and make declining easy. Introductions rest on trust, and someone who has never worked with the target may not want to spend it. If they agree, keep the request small and give them a note to forward. If not, thank them and try another path or write a genuine cold message. ## Related - [How to ask for a job referral](https://warmada.com/blog/how-to-ask-for-job-referral): Prepare a complete referral request with a role link, relevant evidence, and resume. Adapt examples for a friend, former colleague, alumnus, or new contact. - [Cold email templates for job seekers, with worked examples](https://warmada.com/blog/cold-email-templates-for-jobs): Adapt cold email templates for a specific vacancy, an exploratory introduction, or a career change. Learn what to personalize before contacting a hiring team. - [How to message a recruiter on LinkedIn, with examples](https://warmada.com/blog/how-to-message-recruiter-on-linkedin): Choose a relevant recruiter, explain the role and your fit, and write a clear LinkedIn message. Includes examples for a specific job and an existing connection. - [How to email a hiring manager after applying for a job](https://warmada.com/blog/email-hiring-manager-after-applying): Write your first email to a hiring manager after applying: include the exact role, one relevant example, and a clear ask. Includes editable message examples. --- Warmada is a free job search tool that suggests the person most likely hiring for a role, looks up their work email, and drafts a personal note you review and send from your own Gmail. Always free for job seekers. There is no paid plan and no billing step. Start at https://warmada.com/dashboard?start=account.