Job seekers need to attack a search on multiple fronts in order to achieve success. Applying to jobs posted online can work, but this needs to be supplemented. Who you know can still be far more important to your search than how many cold applications you send out each week. If your search has stalled, now is the time to start leveraging a strategy that will make you 15 times more likely to land a job: Employee referrals.
“CSS pays well for referrals! We want to help your network of great business candidates find quality and rewarding positions. I have been successful at placing experienced Accounting Finance, Human Resources and Call Center/Office candidates in a 60-mile radius surrounding the Philadelphia area and on a National Level. Connect with me on linked in and send me your referrals – I will make sure you get your bonus!” says Darla Nowell, Sr Recruiter, Contemporary Staffing.
Why Hiring Managers Love Referrals
Hiring managers and HR departments can be deluged with hundreds of resumes for a single job. Sorting through those resumes to narrow the field can be an overwhelming task. However, when employees come to HR with someone they believe would be a strong candidate, it helps save time and resources.
Employee referrals save time, and they also result in better hires, and HR teams know this. The data shows referrals make up a mere 7% of applicants, but they are hired nearly 40% of the time. Not only that, but referred candidates are usually a better cultural fit and they report higher long-term job satisfaction than new hires who were not referred; good news for both employers and candidates.
How To Get Referred
People in your network won’t magically refer you to your dream job, even if they receive paid incentives from their employers for making successful connections. You will have to put in some legwork in order to get referred to hiring managers, but a little bit of effort can generate real results in a relatively short period of time. Use these strategies to get referred sooner, rather than later:
- Tell people you are looking for a new job: People can’t help you if they don’t know you are looking. Tell friends, relatives, acquaintances, members of your rec league baseball team, etc. that you’re seeking greener pastures and if they know of any openings, to facilitate a connection. You never know who can connect you to a new opportunity.
- Get out and network: In-person networking is still one of the most effective ways to make new connections. Attend professional events, meet new people and always follow up on LinkedIn to keep the connection going so you will be top of mind when an opening arises.
- Make strategic connections: Do you have a list of target organizations you want to get into? Spend time on LinkedIn, and do some recon. Try to connect with people who work at those companies and get to know them professionally, to potentially leverage them for a referral.
As you work on a referral strategy, be aware that it takes time to build new connections with people, and most won’t refer someone they’ve only just met. If you’re looking to get referred quickly, spend your time working your existing network.
Ready To Accelerate Your Job Search?
Contemporary Staffing Solutions is a nationally-recognized recruiting firm with a long track record of making successful matches between candidates and employers. One of the ways CSS has been able to achieve high satisfaction from clients and job seekers is the “Refer A Friend” program that offers incentives to team members who make successful referrals. CSS knows that talented people know other talented people, and we welcome referrals at any time.
If you are ready to find and land your dream job this year, connect with the professional recruiters at Contemporary Staffing Solutions today.