Referrals in the Job Search

A referral is when a person who already works for a company, recommends you to recruiters for a position and then submits your application for said position. A referral is beneficial for all parties involved. For the referee it is beneficial as if the referral is successful, they usually receive a monetary bonus. For the recruiter it is beneficial as the number of applicants to review is often much smaller, meaning that they have more time to review each application. For the applicant, the benefit of a referrals system is that they have an increased chance to be invited to an interview, given that there are fewer applicants.

How to get a referral to tech companies and who can refer you

You can be referred for a position by any person at the company. Here are some tips on how to find someone to refer you:

• If you already know someone in the company directly, message them on Facebook or LinkedIn and ask them for a referral.
• If you have a mutual friend or connection that works for the company, contact them and politely ask if they would be willing to act as a referee or if they have time for a quick chat regarding careers in the company.
• It is also worthwhile to try approaching a stranger for a referral, although it might be much more difficult. Check the company’s LinkedIn profile and search for current employers. Learn about them and try to find mutual interests, common community groups, etc. Such information would definitely be helpful to break the ice when starting the conversation. Ask the person to give you some career advice specific to their company.