SpringRole blog

SpringRole · August 3, 2026

The short answer

Ask a former manager for a recommendation with a short, personal message that gives context, names the type of role you are pursuing and makes the request easy to complete. Suggest two or three projects or strengths they could mention, but give them freedom to write in their own words. A good recommendation is specific, credible and focused on work—not on sympathy for the layoff.

After a retrenchment, asking may feel uncomfortable. Remember that your manager may also want to help and may not know what would be useful unless you tell them.

When should you ask?

Ask after the initial exit details are settled but while your work is still fresh in the person’s mind. For many people, this is within one or two weeks of the announcement. If the manager is also affected by the restructuring, acknowledge that and give them space.

Choose someone who directly observed the capability you want to prove. Your line manager is an obvious option, but a project lead, department head, client or cross-functional stakeholder may write a more useful recommendation for a particular skill.

Before sending the request, decide which role you are pursuing, which skills matter most, which project the person observed and what format you need.

A focused request produces a more focused response.

What should the message include?

Use five parts:

A personal acknowledgement.

A concise update on your search.

The specific recommendation format you need.

Two or three memory prompts.

A low-pressure close.

Here is a practical email template:

Subject: Recommendation request

Hi Mei Lin, thank you again for your support during the recent transition. I’m now focusing on regional customer success roles in B2B technology. Would you be comfortable writing a short LinkedIn recommendation about our work together? If useful, you could mention the enterprise onboarding redesign, how I coordinated the sales and support teams, or the improvement in time-to-value. Please write only what reflects your experience, and no pressure if the timing is difficult. I would be happy to send a few factual project details. Thank you for considering it.

For WhatsApp or another informal channel:

Hi Daniel, hope you’re doing okay after everything last week. I’m starting my search for operations roles and wanted to ask whether you’d be comfortable writing a short recommendation about our work on the regional fulfilment project. I can send two or three reminders of the results if helpful. No pressure at all if you need time.

What makes a recommendation useful to employers?

A useful recommendation answers several of these questions:

How did the person know you, and for how long?

What did you personally contribute?

What measurable or meaningful result followed?

How did you work with others or respond to constraints?

Compare these examples:

Generic:

Aaron was a great team member and would be an asset to any company.

Specific:

I managed Aaron for two years on our regional operations team. He redesigned the weekly capacity-planning process across three markets, reducing manual preparation by roughly 30% and giving country leads earlier visibility of delivery risks. He is especially strong at turning incomplete data into clear operational decisions.

The second version gives relationship, scope, result and a distinct capability. It is easier for an employer to trust and remember.

Do not send a fully written endorsement and ask someone to paste their name under it. You can provide factual prompts, dates and outcomes, but the recommendation should reflect the recommender’s independent view. If they ask for a draft, offer a bullet-point fact sheet and invite them to change or disregard anything.

How do you request a LinkedIn recommendation?

LinkedIn allows members to request recommendations from first-degree connections they have worked with. The request includes the relationship, the position held at the time and a personalised message. LinkedIn’s official instructions are available in its recommendation request guide.

Personalise the note instead of sending the default text. After receiving a recommendation, check the facts. Ask for a change only when something is inaccurate, confidential or materially unclear—not simply because the wording differs from yours.

How should you follow up?

Wait seven to ten days unless there is a genuine deadline. One polite follow-up is enough:

Hi Mei Lin, just following up on the recommendation request below in case it was buried. There is no urgency, and I completely understand if you are not able to do it. Thank you again.

If there is no response, move on. Silence may reflect workload, company restrictions, personal stress or uncertainty—not a negative judgment of your work.

If your former manager cannot provide a recommendation, ask for a simpler form of support:

Permission to list them as a referee.

An introduction to a relevant hiring manager or recruiter.

A recommendation from another stakeholder who observed your work.

Where should you use the recommendation?

Use it as supporting evidence, not decoration. Add an approved recommendation to LinkedIn, keep referee details in a separate reference sheet and turn the underlying example into an interview story. You may also include a short, attributed excerpt in a portfolio if the recommender agrees.

Do not place full reference contact details on a public CV. Share them when requested and confirm with the referee before a recruiter contacts them. A recommendation works best when it supports the same capability already shown in your CV and portfolio.

SpringRole helps candidates create a profile from their CV, make their skills and experience visible, receive relevant job matches and track applications. Before uploading your CV, strengthen it with the outcomes and project context that a recommender can verify. Your own evidence and another person’s perspective should reinforce each other.

Frequently asked questions

Is it appropriate to ask after being laid off?

Yes. Retrenchment is usually about role redundancy or business reorganisation, not individual capability. Keep the request respectful and give the person an easy way to decline.

Should I ask my former manager or a colleague?

Ask the person who best observed the skill relevant to your next role. A detailed recommendation from a project stakeholder may be stronger than a generic note from the most senior person.

How many recommendations do I need?

Quality matters more than volume. Two or three specific recommendations covering different strengths are useful for many candidates. Avoid collecting repetitive, generic praise.

Can I write the recommendation for them?

Provide factual prompts or a project summary, but do not manufacture an endorsement. The recommender should decide what they genuinely want to say.

The best recommendation does not ask an employer to feel sorry for what happened. It helps them see the value you created before it happened—and the value you can create again. Make that work visible and find your next relevant opportunity on SpringRole.