The 5 Habits of Effective Job Seekers. Habit 3: They Get Referred!
This week, we are discussing the third habit of effective job seekers: They get referred!
Why is this important? Being referred by an employee increases your chances of getting hired by 300%. How so?
1—Employers trust candidates that were referred. Employers are more likely to trust the applicant if he or she is connected to someone within their network. It’s similar to the choice of inviting either an acquaintance of a friend’s or inviting a complete stranger to your home. Most people would understandably choose the first option.
2—Employers trust that the referee has a better understanding of what defines a qualified candidate. The best people to understand the culture of the company are those who are actually working for the company. When they refer an applicant to the company’s employer or hiring manager, they are doing so with a first-hand understanding of whether the applicant fits the company culture and would thrive in that work environment. Referrals are more likely to be qualified candidates, encouraging the recruiter and hiring manager to give their application extra attention.
3—Referrals have lower turnover rates. Referrals generally stay with a company longer. Why? Referred candidates have a better understanding of the company culture before they start, so there are no surprises. This helps them to adjust and fit into the company at a quicker pace compared to their counterparts who are entering the company without information from a current employee. Furthermore, their referral allows them to enter the company with at least one social connection, making the social transition into the work environment much easier. The hiring process is expensive; so lower expected turnover rates mean employers have more incentive to hire candidates that are referred!
See this article from Mary Lorenz at CareerBuilder, for a list of the top 10 reasons referrals are valuable to employers. It just goes to show how important referrals are to not only applicants, but employers as well!
If you’re interested, check back tomorrow for a post from Chandlee Bryan on getting referred!
