Gmail Referral Automation (SMTP)

Send professional referral-request emails in controlled batches using Gmail SMTP + App Password, with:

• CSV-driven outreach (Name, Email, Title, Company)
• Resume attachment (PDF/DOCX)
• Daily cap (defaults to 50% of personal Gmail daily sending limit)
• sent_log.csv to avoid re-sending the same recipient
• Template selection (3 variants) + centralized variables (TITLE, LinkedIn, Portfolio, etc.)

This project uses SMTP App Passwords (no OAuth / no Gmail API credentials.json).

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Folder Structure

gmail-referral-automation/
  ├─ src/
  │   └─ send_referrals.py
  ├─ samples/
  │   └─ prospects_sample.csv
  ├─ .gitignore
  ├─ requirements.txt
  └─ README.md

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Requirements

• Python 3.9+
• A Gmail account with 2-Step Verification enabled
• A Gmail App Password (16 characters)

Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

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Steps to make this Automation work

Step 1 — Enable 2FA

Navigate to Google Account Security and enable 2-Step Verification:

• https://myaccount.google.com/security

Step 2 — Create an App Password (SMTP password)

Create a new app password here:

• https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords

1. In the App name field enter: Colab SMTP
2. Copy the 16-character code and store it safely.
   • It is a one-time view password.
   • If you lose it, you must create a new App Password.

Step 3 — Update your personal details in the code

Modify all your personal details in the template section (Template Choice / Title / Name / LinkedIn / Portfolio), otherwise you will be helping me get referrals ✊.

Step 4 — Respect daily limits + use the log file

• Personal Gmail commonly has a daily send limit (example: 500 emails/day).
• This project sends 50% by default (example: 250/day) for safety.

Important: Every new day you run the script, attach/keep the same sent_log.csv (or keep it in the repo folder locally) so the same person does not receive multiple emails.

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Input CSV Format

Your CSV must include these columns:

• Name
• Email
• Title
• Company

Example file: samples/prospects_sample.csv

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Resume Attachment

Provide a file path to your resume:

• resume.pdf or resume.docx

The script attaches this resume to every email.

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Configure Email Templates

Inside src/send_referrals.py, you can edit:

• TITLE (the role you want referral for)
• YOUR_NAME
• LINKEDIN
• PORTFOLIO
• TEMPLATE_CHOICE (1/2/3)
• SKILLS_LINE, STACK_LINE, IMPACT_LINE

These variables control subject/body formatting.

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Sending Limits & Safety Controls

Key controls:

• ACCOUNT_TYPE → "gmail" / "workspace_paid" / "workspace_trial"
• TARGET_FRACTION → default 0.5
• DRY_RUN → True to test without sending
• SLEEP_EACH + JITTER → reduces burst behavior

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Run the Script

Example

python src/send_referrals.py   --csv samples/prospects_sample.csv   --resume ./resume.pdf   --from_email yourgmail@gmail.com

Dry run (no emails sent)

python src/send_referrals.py   --csv samples/prospects_sample.csv   --resume ./resume.pdf   --from_email yourgmail@gmail.com   --dry_run

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Logging & Re-runs

• The script writes/updates sent_log.csv to track:
  • sent
  • failed
  • dry_run

It only skips recipients that have status = sent in the log, so dry_run entries won’t block future sending.

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Security Notes

✅ DO:

• Keep sent_log.csv local or private
• Use App Password (never your regular password)
• Use .gitignore to avoid committing sensitive files

❌ DON’T:

• Commit real prospect lists
• Commit your resume
• Commit App Passwords / tokens

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Disclaimer ❗

These email lists and code are explicitly for improving the chances of getting into a job or getting a referral. Do not misuse anything and do not spam anyone - respect their privacy and opt-out requests.