As they say in the business world, it's all about who you
know. Sure, hard work and an impressive resume help, but having connections and
possible referrals are often crucial to landing the job of your dreams.
In fact, according to a study by recruiting software Lever,
referred applicants are almost 10 times more likely to be hired than candidates
who aren't referred. Of candidates who aren't referred, only 1 in 100 is hired
for every position on average, compared with 1 in 16 for those who are referred
to the company and 1 in 22 for those who are recommended by an agency.
"For some time now, talent acquisition teams have been
increasing their focus on proactively sourcing candidates and encouraging
employee referrals," Sarah Nahm, CEO and co-founder of Lever, said in a
statement. "[Our] findings prove that those efforts are worthwhile, and
paying off."
Other key findings Lever highlighted in the study include:
The size of a
company correlates with its hiring ratio. The smaller the company, the greater
the hiring efficiency. For example, Lever found that companies with fewer than
100 employees have an average of 94 candidates for every open position, while
companies with more than 1,000 employees have an average of 129 candidates for
every open position.
The average
candidate goes through 4 hours of interviews. Although it depends on the
position, candidates spend an average of nearly 4 hours interviewing for a job.
Candidates for technical jobs spend the most time interviewing, at 5.5 hours on
average, while sales candidates spend an average of only about 3 hours
interviewing.
It takes an
average of 34 days for a candidate to be hired. However, larger companies tend
to take longer. The average hiring time for companies with more than 1,000
employees was 41 days.
Recruiters
consider nearly half of candidates "underqualified." Cold applicants
who apply without a connection are the most likely to be seen as underqualified
(52 percent). On the other hand, just 22 percent of proactively sourced
(referred or headhunted) candidates are considered underqualified.
Building your referral path
So what can you do to ensure you stand out as a capable
applicant?
1. Create a soft referral for yourself.
You can take matters into your own hands by reaching out to
others for help. Leela Srinivasan, chief marketing officer at Lever, advised
candidates to "think as broadly as you can about potential connections you
have into the organization." Ask yourself if you know anyone, even just
briefly, who can potentially offer a referral.
2. Search for first- or second-degree connections on
LinkedIn.
If you find yourself empty-handed after considering possible
connections, turn to the company's LinkedIn page, click "see all
employees" and check if you have any first- or second-degree connections.
"If you have a first-degree connection, reach directly
out to them, explaining why you're interested in working for the org[anization]
and asking if they can refer you," Srinivasan told Business News Daily.
"If you see a second-degree connection at the company, click on their
profile to figure out how you're connected, and see if there's a mutual
connection who might be able to give you a warm intro."
According to Srinivasan, many companies have referral
programs and offer incentives to employees who refer candidates. You may be
surprised by how eager your potential connections will be to refer you.
3. Establish a legitimate connection.
If all else fails, think about possible ties you can make
with the company — for example, any positive experiences you've had.
"Try to establish a legitimate connection, even if it's
experience-based," Srinivasan said. "As a candidate, your object[ive]
is not to game the system. On the other hand, if you come to the table with
authentic examples of times when you've exhibited a particular value that the
company champions, those could come in handy during the process."
Additionally, it helps to show your curiosity about the
company's culture and values. Don't be afraid to ask questions and show that
you've done your research.
Written by Sammi Caramela
Sammi Caramela is
a senior at Rowan University with a major in writing arts and a double minor in
journalism and psychology. She is President of Her Campus magazine and I Am
That Girl at Rowan, and contributes to other writing platforms on and off
campus. She expects to graduate in 2017 and continue her freelance work with
Business News Daily. Reach her by email, or check out her blog at sammisays.org
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