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Outline

Instructions

Try these extensions to continue learning about asking someone to be a reference.

CHOOSE AN EXTENSION


Write a Thank-You Email

Show your appreciation to your reference by writing them a thank you email.

Transcript

When someone gives you a gift or performs a helpful service, you can show your appreciation by sending them a thank you message.

Taking the time to express your gratitude makes others feel good and supports your relationship with them.

In this extension, you will write an email to thank your reference for their help.

To write a thank you message, you will: Compose an email in Gmail.

To begin, open your Gmail account and compose an email.

Enter the email address of your reference in the To field.

Add a subject line to indicate the purpose of your message.

Begin your email with a respectful greeting.

Next, offer an expression of gratitude.

Show your appreciation for the help that you received.

Next, include a forward-looking statement.

This gives the message a friendly tone and lets your reference know you value your relationship with them.

You can mention that you hope to see them again soon, or look forward to speaking to them in the near future.

End your email with a respectful closing such as “Best Regards” or “Sincerely.” Finally, sign your name.

Before you send your email, read it over and check for errors.

Edit your message if you want to change anything.

If you’re ready now, send your email.

Or, if you're practicing for later, save the email as a draft.

Now, it’s your turn: Write a thank-you email.


Email Your Resume as a PDF File

Save your resume as a PDF file and attach it to an email to your reference.

Transcript

Sometimes, your reference may want to know more about you so they can help you with an application.

They may request a copy of your resume to learn more about your background.

In this extension, you will save your resume as a P-D-F file and email it as an attachment to your reference.

P-D-F, or Portable Document Format, is a file format that creates a digital image of your document.

You can view, print, or email a PDF file, and it will look the same no matter what program your reference uses to open it.

To email your resume as a PDF, you will: Download the file in PDF format, Write a brief message, And email the file as an attachment.

To begin, open your resume document.

To save your resume as a PDF, select “File” from the toolbar.

And download the document as a PDF file.

The PDF is automatically saved to your computer.

To find the document, open your Files.

Then, open your resume to make sure the download was successful.

Now your resume is ready to send to your reference.

To attach your resume in an email, open Gmail.

Click on Compose to start a new email.

Enter the email address of your reference in the “To” field.

Add a subject line.

Type a brief message to your reference indicating the purpose of your email.

Before you send it, reread your message and check for errors.

Then, attach your resume as a PDF file.

Finally, when you’re ready, send the email.

Or, if you’re practicing for later, save it as a draft.

Now, it’s your turn: Save your resume as a PDF, Attach the PDF file to an email, Write a message, And, send or save the email.


Set a Reminder in Your Calendar

Set a reminder in your calendar to send a follow up email to your reference.

Transcript

After you send your initial email to your reference, you may not hear back from them right away.

That’s ok.

Your reference may be very busy, or away from their computer, or out of town.

If you don’t hear back from your reference within a week or two, you can send a polite follow-up email and repeat your request.

In this extension, you will set a reminder for yourself in Google Calendar to follow up with your reference.

When you have a busy schedule, it’s easy to forget things.

Creating a reminder is an effective way to keep track of important tasks.

To set a reminder for yourself, you will: Create a reminder in Google Calendar, Title it, And select a date and time.

To start, open Google Calendar.

Create your reminder.

Give it a title.

Choose the date and time you want to set the reminder for.

A standard time for a follow-up email is one to two weeks after the initial email.

Decide whether you want to repeat the reminder, and with what frequency.

You can repeat a reminder daily, weekly, monthly or whatever you prefer.

Press save to enter the reminder in your calendar.

Later on, if you decide you want to change the reminder, you can edit it.

For example, you may want your reminder earlier in the day or week.

The changes now appear on your calendar.

Now, it’s your turn: Create a reminder, Title it, And select a date and time.