Many
companies have employee referral programs that pay a bonus to employees who
refer a candidate that gets hired. Companies do this for several reasons. First
it costs them far less than what it costs to use a recruiting firm or recruit on their own – far less!
In addition companies often feel an employee would not risk their reputation by
referring a candidate that becomes a problem, so it reduces the risk of making
a bad hire.
Your
objective is to get connected with the hiring manager, not HR, unless you are
seeking an HR position.
So how
do you go about getting referred? Use good networking skills (see more below)
to connect with current employees.
First,
search your existing network of family and friends. Stay in touch with your
existing network. That is the easiest way.
Second,
do a search on LinkedIn. Find out who is a current or past employee of the
company you are interested in, focused first on current employees. Then try to
connect with past employees. Past employees may have an axe to grind so be
careful with information you receive. But it is a good way to get a sense about
whether the company is a good match for you in terms of their financial health,
their core philosophy, their management style, etc.
And if you have ever worked as
an intern or part-time or in a contract position, take advantage of the access to
people you've been given. Go out of your way to meet intelligent individuals
and leaders. Build up a network of contacts so that when you leave (or if they
do first), there is a foundation for a networking relationship to find out who they know.
How do
you build your network and make connections with people you don’t know? A lot has been written
about this. The consensus seems to be:
Build
rapport: You do this by leading in with something you have in common with the
person. You can often find the person’s interests by reviewing their profile
for the positions they help, the schools they attended, their outside
interests, the people they know, etc. Tell them you noticed the thing you have
in common with them. You might also check them out on FaceBook, Twitter, etc.,
to find topics of commonality. Always start out by telling them who you are and
what you do.
Get to
the point quickly: This applies to all networking, email, messages,
face-to-face and meeting by chance in public. Don’t ask for a job, period! Let
them know you are interested in the company by asking what they know about the
company. If you ask for help getting a job their guard will go up more times
than not. You do not want to put them on the spot.
Show
interest in them first, then the company: Once you have established rapport by
showing interest in them, show them your interest in the company.
Wrap it
up quickly: People are busy. Wrap up the first communication quickly by asking
them if they would be willing to talk live someday soon. If they are willing right
now, continue showing interest by asking them what they do, what they like
about the company, dislike, and other things about them. Then tell them about a
few of your greatest skills are (emphasis on “few”). It may take more than one
conversation or email communication to reach the point where it is appropriate
to let them know you are seeking a change (looking for a job), but not always.
To get a referral you must give them enough insight to convince them you are
worthy of being referred.
When you
ask to connect by sending a written message, keep it brief, crisp and concise
with no spelling or grammar errors (be professional).
Get more help on this and other tactics by emailing me at kl@hoochresumes.com or by visiting http://www.hoochresumes.com. And leave a comment if you like this post.