Reference request, Dr Lena Hartmann to her former chief pharmacist

Reference request letter to a former manager

A reference request letter asks a former manager to act as a referee, then makes the job easy by giving the role, the dates worked together and what to mention. This one page letter from a hospital pharmacist sets out the role she applied for, the two pieces of work most relevant to it and when the new employer will call.

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LH
Lena Hartmann
3 Birchwood Mews, Eastfield · lena.hartmann@mailbox.example

Thursday 1 October 2026
Mr Gareth Holloway, Chief Pharmacist
Eastfield General Hospital, Pharmacy Department

Would you be a referee for me?

Dear Gareth, I have applied for the role of Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist at Northbridge University Hospital, and I would be grateful if you would act as one of my referees. You know my clinical work better than anyone, and if you would rather not, I completely understand.

Role applied for
Lead Antimicrobial Pharmacist
Employer
Northbridge University Hospital
When we worked together
March 2019 to July 2024, Eastfield General
My role then
Specialist Pharmacist, Infection

The panel is most interested in stewardship and teaching, so these two pieces of work would help most if you are happy to mention them:

1.
The 2023 antimicrobial stewardship audit, which cut broad spectrum prescribing on the surgical wards
2.
Training the six pre-registration interns in 2022 and 2023, all of whom passed first time

Northbridge will phone referees in the week beginning Monday 12 October; Ruth Okeke from their HR team will call to arrange a time. I enclose my CV and the job advert. Thank you for considering it.

With best wishes
Name
:
Lena Hartmann

Section by section

What each section is for, so you can keep the ones you need and drop the rest.

Monogram letterhead
The writer's name, initials, address and email.
Addressee
The former chief pharmacist by name, title and department.
The request
The role applied for and a clear question, with room to decline.
The details
Role, employer, the dates worked together and her title then as rows.
What to mention
Two pieces of work that match what the new panel is assessing.
Timing and enclosures
When and by whom the call will come, with the CV and advert enclosed.
Sign off
The writer's name under the signature line.

Asking a former employer who may only confirm dates

Many organisations now tell managers to confirm only dates of employment and job title, to limit the risk of a reference being challenged. Workplace advice services note that an employer giving a reference must make it fair and accurate, which is one reason some prefer to say very little. If your former manager tells you that is their policy, do not press. Ask instead whether they would be comfortable speaking about your work as an individual, or suggest a former colleague who supervised you closely. Tell the new employer in advance if one reference will be factual only, so it is not read as a warning.

A checklist of what to send

Before sending, make sure the letter or the attachments carry everything the referee needs: the job title and employer, the role description, your CV, the dates you worked together and your title then, the two or three pieces of work to mention and why they matter for this role, the name of the person who will make contact, and the week the call is expected. Add your phone number in case the referee wants to check something. If the new employer will send a written form rather than call, say so, because a form takes longer and the referee should plan for it.

How to adapt this document

Change the names, the role and the employer, then correct the four rows to match your own records, checking your old payslips or contract for exact dates. Choose two pieces of work that map to the criteria in the new advert; if the advert lists teamwork and budgets, pick one example of each. Replace the timing paragraph with what the new employer has told you. If you are asking a personal referee rather than a manager, delete the role you held then and describe how they know you instead, such as a volunteer coordinator who supervised your work.

What makes this document work

It asks before it assumes

The opening paragraph asks whether he will act as a referee and says plainly that she will understand if not. A referee who agreed to the request writes a better reference than one who finds out from the hiring manager's call.

The facts a referee forgets are listed

Role applied for, employer, March 2019 to July 2024 and her job title then sit in four rows. Five years later a manager may not remember exact dates or titles, and a reference with wrong dates hurts the candidate more than a short one.

Two examples matched to the new role

The stewardship audit and the six interns map to the two things the new panel cares about, stewardship and teaching. Pointing to them lets the referee give concrete evidence rather than adjectives, which is what a reference check is trying to find.

Questions people ask

How do I ask someone to be my referee?

Ask before you name them on an application, by phone or in person if you can, then follow up in writing with the details. Make it easy to say no. Once they agree, send the role, the employer, your dates together, the examples you hope they will mention and when the call is expected. Thank them afterwards and tell them the outcome.

What should I send my referee?

The job advert or role description, your current CV, the dates you worked together and your job title then, two or three pieces of work relevant to the new role, the name of the person who will contact them, and the expected timing. Keep it to one page plus attachments; a referee should be able to prepare in ten minutes.

Can a former employer refuse to give a reference?

In many places, yes. Outside regulated sectors there is often no general duty to give a reference, and many organisations have a policy of confirming only dates and job title. If your referee says that is all they can give, ask whether a former colleague who supervised you could speak about your work in a personal capacity instead.

How many referees should I ask for?

Most employers ask for two, and usually want one to be a recent manager. Have a third person ready in case one is unavailable during the reference week. Choose people who supervised your work directly rather than senior names who barely knew you, because a reference is judged on the detail it can give.

Is it acceptable to suggest what a referee should say?

Suggesting topics is normal and helpful; scripting the reference is not. Name the pieces of work relevant to the role and let the referee describe them in their own words. A referee who is handed a script may decline, and an employer who senses one may discount the whole reference.

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Sources

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