So, I work for a pretty prestigious gaming company that I am very proud of. I have good tenure, and have been there for almost 3.5 years now in the support department as management.

I actively play one of the games I help to support, and have a tendency to meet lots of online personalities. So yeah, I have many "e-friends." I try to keep these people separate from my real life though, mostly because of my job. In playing the game, however, you grow to know these people from interacting with them pretty much everyday.

One of these online "e-friends" is in school for video game development, and recently expressed interest in applying for a position in my company. This position is really out of my realm of expertise in itself, though, since it's a completely different department. He, knowing I work for this company, asked me to review his resume/cover letter anyway.

Sad to say, his documents really REALLY needed some revision, so I agreed to help. I figured it couldn't hurt, since I know the company's basic standards of hiring, and what they look for.

When he sent me the email with the full Word documents, he added a note thanking me for helping him. This was added as a PS:

"I also need your personal information so I can include you as a reference. :)"

He didn't ask me if he could reference me, and I don't think I inferred that I would. So I thought that was kind of rude. Normally I wouldn't blink an eye, except, I don't feel I know this guy enough (ie, I've never met him personally) to feel secure in referencing him. (In all honesty, with only what I know of him now, I wouldn't hire him for my department. So I really don't want my name tacked onto his application.)

I don't want him to get the impression that I wouldn't advocate him (even though I wouldn't). But he's applying to another department, so I shouldn't really have any business giving him any impressions at all (even though he's been asking me for such information).

My question is: How do I gently let this guy down without letting on that I don't really approve of his application?

Be straight forward. Tell him that even though you work for the company, it's not your department and you don't feel it would be appropriate for you to be a reference for him. You can also add that someone who knows him personally would be able to put in a better word for him than you could ever possibly put in (which I believe would be true).

Let him know that you're happy to have helped him, but because you haven't worked with him, you don't think you would do him justice as a referee. Suggest he choose someone that knows his skills and experience better than you.