Finding a Reference:
* Think about your favorite teacher or professor — did you have any memorable (positive) conversations with a teacher, or did you have a professor’s class you excelled in?
* Who have you volunteered with? This could be a peer or a mentor: a soccer coached you assisted, a political fundraising supervisor, a food bank volunteer peer etc.
* Consider what coaches or role models you have performed under: a music director, a club leader, sports coach, church pastor etc.
* Have you worked closely with a co-worker, who may attest to your value in a work capacity?
* Have you done work for a friend or family member (even if it was not for money)?
Asking for the Reference:
* Don’t be afraid to re-establish a relationship or connection with someone you knew a long time ago — social media might be a good first step.
* Facebook messenger may be best, if you know the person is on there; if they are a professional, they likely have an email you could use
* Remind them who you are and in what context you knew them
* “Hi Mrs. Jones, this is Evan Douglas. I was your student in drama class 3 years ago, and we put on the Neverland play under your supervision.”
* Ask if you can meet with them or speak with them on the phone; or if the connection is recent and you are confident of their knowledge of you, ask them to be a reference.
* “I really enjoyed being in your class, and hope that you can be a reference for me. If you prefer, we can first meet or chat on the phone.”
* Tell the person about the job you are applying for, and discuss any experiences you had with them to refresh their memory.
* “I’m applying for a job at the local theatre, in stage direction. For Neverland, I assisted with stage design and setup.”
* End with a tone of thanks
* “I really appreciate if you are able to be a reference for me. Thank you!”