The job market is a tough one in this day and age, and sometimes, finding a job that pays well and is of one’s liking seems like the next to impossible task. However, there are certain things that you can do to ensure that you at least land on top of the application pile when it comes to pursuing a potential employer! One of these things is getting referred by an employee of the organization that you are interested in joining!
Employee engagement via this method has been shown to lead to the hiring of candidates who perform better and even stay longer in the organization! Such job referral programs also increase the chances of a candidate getting hired. Since the job referral pretty much ends up being a win-win situation for both the hiring organization and the candidate looking to be hired, a ton of companies have now started investing in job referral programs.
If you are someone who is hoping to get referred for a job, here are a few things that you ought to know.
A crucial job search source
Studies and surveys conducted have shown that more than 70% of job seekers agree with the fact that job referrals happen to be extremely important when it comes to landing a job of their liking. A lot of these job seekers even compared employee referral to the likes of LinkedIn and other career sites, stating that referral programs such as this happen to be more crucial for them.
This is exactly why networking is very important as only through a well-established network of professionals can you get a lead regarding the kind of job you are looking for, and further get referred to it as well. Hence, to begin the job search process, the main thing you should be starting with is taking out time to establish a good rapport and network. It will definitely prove to be brilliantly beneficial in the long run.
Higher chances of getting hired
It has been found that when a candidate is referred by an employee, the chances of that particular candidate getting hired increases to a great extent. Thus, if you are a job seeker, this is where the need of your pre-established network comes into play. You can use portals like Twitter or LinkedIn to identify people you already know or are acquaintances within the company you want to join.
It is alright if the person you are looking to contact is in a different department than the one you are interested in. What matters at the end of the day is that you reach out and let them know the kind of role you are interested in. However, it is always a better idea that you reach out to people you know in organizations you like, prior to the posting of a job, otherwise it can come off as a mere opportunistic move on your part. You do have to keep one thing in your mind, because though the chances of you getting hired might increase, but at the end of the day, what it all comes down to is whether or not you are the right fit for that particular position.
Staring at the top
Since there is a power hierarchy that exists within each and every organization, it might seem obvious that a person who holds a more senior position in a company will be heard over someone who doesn’t. This is why, knowing and having contacts with the higher-ups in an organization can have a huge impact in establishing your career with that particular company.
There is a definite leg-up in knowing top-level executives in an organization that you are interested in and if you have been networking well and have established a good professional relationship with them, then the chances of them being open to referring you are more. This, in turn, increases your chances of getting hired in that particular company as the words of a top-level executive are seldom ignored. However, despite knowing a senior in the company, reaching out to others you might know in the company will only help you, so do not discount that fact either.
You might just end up loving your job!
A fat paycheck can only help you retain a job for so long! This is why it is important to have a job that you actually enjoy and look forward to! If you are interested in a particular company, it would be prudent to state that you have already done your homework on them. When you decide to network with the employees of the company, you will also be able to gain access to their view of the company and the work culture that it boasts of!
This view will either deter your decision to join the company or make it stronger. In case of the latter, assuming that you are happy with the culture being described by the employees, you will obviously look forward to joining the company and having a more enjoyable working relationship! After all, isn’t that what most job seekers seek?
Employee referrals are important to them:
More often than not, companies have an employee referral program in place that grants incentives and rewards to employees if the candidates they refer to end up getting hired. If you are sure of your interest in joining a particular company and you know an employee there, then it is important that you reach out to them. This is essential because if through the employee engagement in the process, you get hired, then you will also be helping out your contact from the company.
It is important to remember to establish a good professional network to make sure, that at the very least, your application falls at the top of the pile and that you are considered for the role being offered, thus increasing your chances of getting hired.
