Читать книгу How to Find Work in the 21st Century - Ron McGowan - Страница 27

Employee Referral Programs (ERPs), whereby current employees refer suitable candidates for in-house job opportunities, are becoming increasingly popular with employers, some of whom are meeting up to 60 percent of their hiring needs this way. In some cases, such programs account for almost all of the hiring done.

It is common for employers to offer employees a cash bonus for people they hire from their referrals. But the cash isn’t the only reason employees take part. They feel good about seeing people they know being hired, and they’re smart enough to know that it’s in their interest to only refer people they know are good and who they feel will fit within the culture of the company.

Hiring on the basis of employee referrals is a smart investment for the employer too, since it reduces the time involved in hiring new people and can substantially reduce the cost of recruiting. For people looking for work, being referred by an existing employee significantly increases the probability of their being hired compared to them approaching the employer on their own.

The growth of ERPs helps to explain why many employment opportunities are never advertised and proves yet again why it is so important to be connected to what is going on in the workplace and to be an effective networker. Some companies are sending college and university graduates they’ve hired who have worked out back to their alma maters as recruiters. Encouraging employees to be active in alumni associations and networks is also seen as a good way to find new hires. Employers are increasingly asking their employees to spread the word about new positions they need to fill via their personal Twitter and Facebook accounts. Some are also establishing company Twitter and Facebook accounts as a way to advertise new positions.