Bottom line: Getting a job referral is the #1 way to get hired.

Did you know that Ernst and Young, Deloitte, and other companies report that they hire 50% of their employees through job referrals?

Here’s How to Land a Job Referral

Employers are bypassing online job searching through monster.com and trusting employee referrals for more qualified candidates. Employers get better candidates and have to spend less time interviewing and sorting through resumes.

I love recommending employee referrals. There are many reasons. I love that the employee who refers you will often review your resume and give you some pointers. Why? The employee really WANTS you to get hired so that they can get their referral bonus too. WIN-WIN!

Referrals also make me passionate about my mission of creating a community where women help women to do incredible things. We are all in this together. You get referred.  You also refer. I feel so strongly about this.

How to get a job referral:

1. You submit your resume or cover letter directly to the person who is referring you.

2. They submit your resume directly as a referral.

3, You get hired. YAY! 🙂

Here are some things you may not know about getting a job referral:

1. The employee gets a bonus for referring you usually.

2. After 90 days of being hired, employees can often make between $1,500-$3,000 for referring candidates in.

3. To get referrals, focus on targeting people in companies that you want to work for. Get to know them. Request informational interviews.

4. At the end of the meeting or informational interview, ask them if they know your work quality well enough to be able to refer you into the company. This is a much better way of asking then can you refer me?

Will you look for a job referral as a strategy to get your next job?

RELATED: The 30-Day Networking Plan That Will Change Your Life