How to Write a Forwardable Email for a Job Introduction

A forwardable email for a job introduction should explain who you are, why you want to meet a specific person, and what you are asking for. Write it so your contact can pass it along without reconstructing your background or searching for the job posting. Include one relevant example of your work and a way to reach you.

This is the note you send after someone says, "Send me a blurb and I can check with them." They have offered to help with an introduction; the eventual recipient may not have agreed to a conversation yet.

If you are still deciding whom to ask or whether they can recommend you, start with how to ask for a job referral. Here, the task is preparing the material that makes an offered introduction possible.

Send a clean message your contact can forward

Start a new email to the person offering the introduction. Use a subject that names the destination and purpose, such as Introduction to [Name] about [Role].

A fresh message keeps private discussion out of the forwarded email. Your earlier thread may include salary concerns, criticism of your current job, or speculation about the company. The new recipient needs none of that.

Address the note to your contact and explicitly say they may forward it to the intended person. You do not need to copy the new person yourself or find their private email address.

Giving the recipient a chance to agree first is often called a double opt-in introduction. Fred Wilson describes this approach as asking both people for permission before connecting them. Your forwardable note gives your contact context to use when checking with the other person. The double opt-in introduction

Forwardable email template for a specific job

Use this version when there is an actual opening and your contact knows someone connected to it.

Subject: Introduction to [Name] about [Role] at [Company]

Hi [Contact],

Thank you for offering to check with [Name]. You are welcome to forward this note and my attached resume to them.

I am a [current role or professional focus] with experience in [relevant area]. In my recent work on [project], I [specific responsibility or result].

I am interested in the [Role] opening at [Company], particularly its focus on [requirement]. Here is the posting: [job link]. [One sentence stating whether you have already applied, if relevant.]

If [Name] is open to it, I would welcome a brief conversation about whether that experience fits the team's needs.

Thanks again,
[Your Name]
[Email address]
[Relevant portfolio or LinkedIn link, if useful]

Replace every placeholder before sending. Keep the forwarded material to roughly 100 to 150 words where possible, excluding the signature. That is an editing target, not a hiring rule: use a few extra words if they prevent confusion about the role.

Make the background specific enough to evaluate

The recipient should be able to connect your experience to the request without opening your resume. One concrete sentence is usually enough to start that evaluation.

Vague:

I am a driven professional with strong communication skills looking for my next challenge.

More useful, in an illustrative customer-support example:

I handle escalations for a subscription software product and recently rewrote our setup guide after reviewing the most common onboarding tickets.

The second version gives someone a basis for discussing support, customer education, or onboarding work. Use your actual responsibilities and results. A number is helpful only when it is accurate and yours to share; the example does not need an invented percentage to be credible.

Avoid assuming your contact knows what you do now. If you last worked together three years ago, write for a reader who has not seen the intervening projects.

Should the blurb be in first or third person?

First person works well when your contact will forward your email: "I am a support specialist..." It keeps the claims in your own voice, with your signature attached.

Use third person if the contact asks for a short paragraph to paste into a message they are writing. For example:

[Your Name] works in [area], including [specific responsibility or project]. They are interested in [Role] at [Company] and would welcome a conversation about [defined topic]. Their resume is attached, and they can be reached at [email].

Keep that paragraph factual. Do not supply "I strongly recommend them" or "one of the best people I have worked with" as language for someone else to send. Any endorsement should reflect the contact's own judgment.

If they requested only two sentences, send two sentences. A full cover letter creates editing work for the person helping you.

Change the request when there is no posted job

A contact may offer to introduce you to someone in a field you are exploring rather than to a hiring team. In that case, replace the job paragraph with a focused learning question.

I am exploring a move from technical support into implementation work. I would value 15 minutes with [Name] to understand how their team divides troubleshooting, customer training, and project coordination. Their experience making a similar move is why I would like to speak with them.

Use this only when you genuinely want that perspective. If you want to discuss an open job, say so. The recipient should be able to agree to the conversation you actually intend to have. The informational interview request guide has more examples for career-exploration conversations.

Include material that survives being forwarded

For a job-specific introduction, attach a current PDF resume if that is what your contact requested. Give it a recognizable filename, such as First-Last-Resume.pdf. If you already applied, tell the contact which version you submitted and whether this one differs.

A portfolio link should lead to work the recipient can access. Check its sharing permissions and remove confidential client or employer details before sending it. A link to a private workspace that requires an access request can delay the handoff.

Keep the job URL in the email itself. An attachment titled "Application" does not identify the role, especially when the company has several similar openings.

You control what you initially share, but you cannot assume a forwarded note will stay between two people. Leave out personal information that is unnecessary for evaluating the request. If there are limits on who may receive the material, explain them to your contact before anything is forwarded.

Reply when the introduction happens

Once both people are on a thread, respond with enough context to continue the conversation. You do not need to paste the whole forwardable note again.

Hi [New Contact],

Nice to meet you, and thank you, [Introducer], for connecting us.

I would be glad to discuss [specific role or topic]. If a short call works for you, I am available [two time windows with time zone]. I can also answer questions here by email.

Best,
[Your Name]

Answer any question the new contact already asked before proposing a call. After the first acknowledgment, keep scheduling between the people who need to attend; your introducer usually does not need every calendar exchange. Let them know separately if the introduction led to a useful conversation.

If the introduction stalls

Follow any timing your contact gave you. If they offered no timeline, a short reminder after about a week is a reasonable starting point. Ask whether they need anything else and give them room to say the introduction is not possible.

Do not repeatedly resend the blurb or contact the new person claiming an introduction has already been made. For a reminder template and stopping point, see how to follow up on a promised introduction.

An introduction may help you start a conversation, but it does not replace an application or guarantee an interview. Keep pursuing other suitable roles while the handoff is pending. When you need to reach employers directly, Personal Reach matches you with relevant opportunities and prepares role-specific outreach drafts for you to review and edit. Create an account with Personal Reach to work on that part of your search alongside your warm introductions.