Why You Should Use Employee Referrals

"Posts and comments come and go, but a LinkedIn referral helps gamer careers grow!" Everything I do in this community is for a reason, even if it’s not always obvious at first. You may have noticed I recently ran a poll asking how much weight people put on LinkedIn referrals. I’ve been studying this issue for a while, not just because of casual observations but due to real feedback from the community. People have told me that while posts, comments, and one-off gestures are helpful, they don’t leave anything lasting that a candidate can use as a referral - something permanent on their profile. So, I took a deeper look. I didn’t just rely on the poll results; I had side conversations with hiring managers, recruiters, and candidates to get a full picture. And while it’s not universal, the data was clear: the super majority of people do put weight on these referrals. They have real value, not just for hiring managers but for candidates - especially those who might not have traditional networking advantages. Having a written referral on their LinkedIn profile gives them something tangible to point to, something that vouches for them in a way a simple post or comment never can. That’s why today, I’m not pointing to a new resource on our site. Instead, based on all this research, I want to make a direct community encouragement for gamers. If you know a candidate you want to support - someone looking for work - don’t just comment or make a one-off post. Do those things, sure, but please also consider writing them a LinkedIn referral. This small action helps with networking, referenceability, and visibility. Nothing is a cure-all, but like everything else we do here, it gives them a little more of an advantage. And to be clear: this isn’t a zero-sum game. If more people have referrals, it doesn’t make them meaningless. Quite the opposite - it helps our candidates compete, especially in a job market where we know 80% will have to land jobs outside of games. Let’s give them every possible leg up. As you know, I rarely ask for reposts, comments, or engagement. But today, I’d really appreciate it if you could push this post as far as possible. I’d love to see this become a movement - more referrals for more candidates. And if you do write referrals, let me know! Maybe I can give some shoutouts and help keep this topic alive. Thanks, everyone.

𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝘁? The hidden cost of relying on traditional job applications is more significant than you might think. You're investing precious time and energy only to face: • Endless rejections from automated systems filtering out your resume. • Getting lost in a sea of applicants without ever hearing back. • Missing out on job opportunities that never even make it to job boards. 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: You're wasting valuable resources by putting all your hope in a broken process that isn't designed to work in your favor. There's a different way. It's not easy, but it's doable. Consider this: • 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 with people in your target industry gets you closer to real opportunities. • 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 bypasses the resume pile. • Personal referrals dramatically increase your chances of landing interviews. It's not about perfecting your resume for ATS systems. It's about creating direct connections with decision-makers. A successful job search is built through consistent networking and personalized outreach. I've taught 100+ job seekers how to skip the application pile and get interviews through referrals. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟴+ 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀. 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿—𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝟱 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. So, what's one step you're taking today to build your network instead of applying aimlessly? Share your strategies in the comments below!

We know the best way to get hired is through a referral. But most feel awkward asking for one Especially when the other person didn’t initiate it. One of my clients was in this exact spot. He was gunning for the Chief Revenue Officer role internally but they hired someone else. The new CRO came in and cleaned house. My client had to lay off his entire team and stick around to help close things down knowing his own role was next. He started applying for Senior and Director-level jobs (all he could find on job boards) just to stay in the game. And when he heard nothing back, he called me. We regrouped, reset, and got strategic: ✅ Created a target company list ✅ Reached out to agency recruiters, friends, and former colleagues ✅ Started networking with intention, not just sending résumés into the void 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝: – He applied through a referral link from someone he hadn’t worked with in 10 years. – Then, he identified the hiring leader and found two mutual contacts who personally vouched for him via text and call. That was the game-changer. He went from technically unemployed to back at work in just two days. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 “𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡” Companies pay employees to refer top talent. It’s expected. Here are just a few examples: 💸 Google – Generous cash bonuses 💸 Intel – Double bonuses for diverse referrals 💸 DigitalOcean – $3,500 cash + $1,500 to charity 💸 Salesforce – Instant referral event rewards 💸 CVS Health – Bonuses tied to inclusive hiring 💸 Kirkland & Ellis – Up to $50K for associate referrals 💸 Apple – Apple Watches 💸 Nike – Custom sneakers & gift cards 💸 Marriott – $1,000 gift cards 💸 Target – $500 gift cards 💸 American Airlines – $3,000 travel gift cards 👉 Companies WANT their employees to refer great people. It's a top business strategy. Referrals open doors that résumés alone never will (& I'm a resume writer saying that!) If you’re not activating your network, you’re missing out. P.S. Hear Hannah Morgan's take on mass applying.

One of the most common questions I hear from job seekers is, "How do I stand out in the application process?" 🤔 And, I get it. In a world where 'Easy Apply' is used by everybody and their brother, resumes and cover letters are looking one and the same, and positions are highly competitive, it's important to set yourself apart from other applicants. Most of the time, I see job seekers wanting to set themselves apart in their application materials. But, truthfully, I don't think this is the way to go (at least, not fully) 😶 Especially not when... ➡ Employee referrals are 4x more likely to be hired ➡ Roughly 80% of job openings are NEVER advertised ➡ Nearly 80% of jobs are filled through networking efforts Yes, your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile are important. These materials need to highlight your skills, achievements, personal brand, and character. But, people = jobs 💼 If you want to approach your job search proactively and with the right mindset, you might want to... ✅ Identify alumni, current employees, and hiring managers to network with. Get industry advice on your career materials, information about application processes, and referrals if the opportunity is a good fit. ✅ Spend less time on volume of applications and more time on quality of applications. Every application you submit should have a person 'attached' to it in some way (you know someone on the hiring team, you met a future colleague at a networking event, etc.). ✅ Prepare samples of your work to share. Showing an example of your work and skillset in an interview, networking call, or cold outreach message goes a long way. Whether that means pulling up your LinkedIn profile to show some of your Featured items or toggling over to your GitHub, examples demonstrate more than words! I share more insights on the hashtag #JobSearch in my recent TikTok 💼 Check it out below! https://lnkd.in/ggfQytUV

The Power of Referrals As a recruiter, The Power of Referrals is an incredible phenomenon that I’ve truly gained an appreciation for throughout my career. Any time I am forwarded to another candidate, I cannot express how much I value a connection like that, because you truly never know where it could lead. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to witness The Power of Referrals several times. Several years ago, I had connected with Corley Huffstickler about new jobs, and was able to help him land a great opportunity. A couple years later, Corley and I partnered up again, and we landed him a second great position, with a leader that he is very passionate about working with. Corley then passed my name on to Jesse Madrid. This led to helping Jesse land multiple interviews, and helping him get an incredible growth opportunity for his sales career. This story gets even better, and the chain of referrals continued. From there, Jesse connected me with Ryan Breaud, who was just getting started on his search for a new role. Ryan and I connected, and immediately pursued three positions, all of which he was selected to interview for. Ryan ended up receiving two offers, including an offer for the position and company that was his top choice from get go. The salary was perfectly in line with his target, and the hiring manager and company feels like a place where he can really grow himself and have long-term success. My last example is about Rynn NeSmith, who I had messaged for a leadership position on LinkedIn. Now Rynn was not interested in the position that I had reached out for, but she did send me the information of another logistics professional who was searching for a new position, Teale McKinzie. Teale and I only pursued a couple positions together, but that’s all that was needed. She thoroughly impressed the hiring managers that she interviewed with, and was able to secure a position with a company that she really meshed with, and a salary that was right in line with her target. Referrals are incredibly powerful, and you never know where they could lead. I ask you this: if you know someone who is actively looking for a new role, or someone who could be a fit for a position that you’ve been contacted about, please pass their name on.

I'm hearing from many companies that they're still doing DEI work, but making it "under the radar" to avoid unwanted attention. So, a new Harvard Business Review article caught my attention with this headline "Achieve DEI Goals Without DEI Programs" (https://lnkd.in/gD_aCkb7) It opens with: “In the past few years, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs have been rolled back in both private and public organizations. For champions of workforce diversity, who feel as if their work is being undone, this is a difficult time. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that many management innovations designed to improve performance actually boost workforce diversity as well. And they don’t invite the backlash that formal DEI programs do.” The authors, sociologists Frank Dobbin, Phd, and Alexandra Kalev, PhD, studied 800 companies and identified high-performance management practices that also increase diversity. One of the most effective? Formal employee referral programs. Here’s why they work: “People of color in frontline jobs rarely feel empowered to refer family members and friends unless they are actually asked to. A formal referral program provides that ‘ask.’ Even employers with mostly white workforces see growth in their diversity because the few nonwhite workers they do have feel licensed to refer friends.” Plus, referral programs create a two-way vetting process. Candidates are more likely to be a great fit and to see your organization as a great place to work. If your company doesn’t have a formal referral program, could you pilot one on your team? Or start a conversation about launching one company-wide? — This is an excerpt from my upcoming “5 Ally Actions” newsletter. Subscribe and read the full edition at https://lnkd.in/gQiRseCb #BetterAllies #Allyship #InclusionMatters #Inclusion #Belonging #Allies 🙏

Stop Applying and Waiting—Use the 2-Step Method Instead It’s not enough to apply for a job and hope for the best. And mass-applying—whether manually or with an AI tool—won’t get you hired faster. Instead, use the 2-Step Method to stand out and gain an advantage. 🔹 Find a job → Find a contact 🔹 Find a contact → Find a job By taking this approach, you’ll not only differentiate yourself from other applicants but also gain the support of an insider who can help your resume get noticed. Step 1: Apply Strategically This part is straightforward. ✔ Find a job online. ✔ Tailor your resume to highlight your most relevant qualifications. ✔ Write a thoughtful cover letter that explains why you want to work at the company—this means doing real research beyond just knowing their name. Step 2: Find an Insider This is the step most job seekers skip—but it’s the game-changer. Find someone who currently works (or previously worked) at the company and reach out. Yes, it takes effort, but securing an internal advocate, ally or informant dramatically increases your chances of getting noticed. This is called an employee referral, and it’s one of the most powerful ways to land an interview. 💎 Reversing the 2-Step: Start with People, Then Find the Job 💎 If you have a list of target companies, begin by identifying people you know who work there. Reach out and reconnect—even if there’s no job opening at the moment. Why? ✔ They may know about a job before it’s posted. ✔ They could refer you when something opens up. ✔ They might introduce you to someone hiring elsewhere. Not everyone will respond, and not every lead will pan out—but what if just one does? That’s all it takes. Use LinkedIn to Find Insider Connections LinkedIn is the best tool for this. 📌 Visit a company’s LinkedIn page and see who works there. 📌 Check your connections—first-degree contacts are ideal, but second-degree can be valuable too. 📌 Use your college/university alumni network to find former classmates at your target companies. AI can’t replace human-to-human connection. And while this takes effort, the hard work can pay off. Try the 2-Step Method for a few weeks and see how it changes your job search.