Letters of recommendation for “older” students

Hi y’all!

I’ve been considering applying for grad school for a while and I think I’m finally ready to take the plunge, but I have no clue how I can get letters of recommendation now. I’m only 26, but that’s still been enough time between college graduation and now for my professors to have forgotten about me (hell, one of the ones I was considering doesn’t even work there anymore — moved to Berlin!).

I do have one professor I’ve kept in touch with who’s said multiple times that she would happily write me a LOR if I decided to go, but most of the programs I’m looking at require at least three. I mean, I have ideas for the others (including the Berlin fellow), but what do I do? Just cold email them and say “hey, I don’t know if you remember me, but we vibed and I’d love if you’d write a LOR!!”?

I do work in the field I’d be interested in going to grad school for, so I’m wondering if I could get a LOR from my boss? I mean, since it’s not academia, I doubt it, but I figured y’all might know?

Anyway, for students who’d been out of college long enough for your professors to have probably forgotten about you… how did you get your letters of recommendation?

Thank you!