How to generate referrals through a Careers page?

Open referral programs in recruitment

More and more employers are opting for open referral programs, engaging not only their own employees but also people outside the organization—including candidates applying for their roles and even potential candidates visiting their Careers page.

The Careers page as a source of employer information

According to eRecruiter, half of all candidates use the Careers page as their primary source of information about an employer. At the same time, GoldenLine reports that 59% of candidates have rejected an offer because they felt they didn't know enough about their potential future workplace. For any employer planning to recruit heavily, a Careers page is a must. Company information, the recruitment process, and available benefits—all of these must be part of your company website.

The potential of referral programs

The importance candidates place on the Careers page, and the traffic it generates as a result, creates significant potential for open, publicly accessible referral programs. Simply put, there is an opportunity to convert site visitors not just into applicants, but into people who refer roles to their friends. In this way, employers can reach not only potential candidates but also their personal networks.

A dedicated referral section on the Careers page

For a company with an open referral program, it should be obvious to include a dedicated section or tab on the Careers page for referrals. This should clearly communicate two key pieces of information:

• What does the candidate referral process look like?
• What is the reward for a successful referral?

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Rewards aren't the only motivating factor

Naturally, a reward isn't the only factor that should encourage people to make a referral. It is best to design the entire Careers page with the referrer in mind, just as much as the candidate. Visitors should get a clear answer to the question: why should I recommend this company to a friend or family member? While every case is unique, there are several best practices to follow.

Best practices for referral programs

1. Candidate experience – If the site is clear and full of useful information, and the application process and communication with the employer are stress-free, you significantly increase the chances that a candidate will refer a friend.
2. Seamless integration of the Careers page with the referral program – Allow referrers to easily move from the Careers page to the referral program, where they can make a referral in 30 seconds.
3. Engaging communication – Let’s make the candidate truly feel that it would be great to start a new job with a friend by their side. Let’s appeal to the desire to help others, which we can further reinforce by offering the option to donate all or part of the reward to a charitable cause.
4. Social proof – In simpler terms: if others are doing it, it must be a good thing. If we have statistics on our referrals, let’s show them off – this is how companies like Dell in the US have achieved great success. Let’s publish testimonials from employees who have referred their friends to us.
5. Building an employer brand worth recommending – Let’s showcase the awards and rankings we’ve received. Let’s share employee testimonials – especially from those who joined us through referrals.

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Referral programs without a Careers page

Paradoxically, the options mentioned above are not at all closed to companies that do not have a Careers page. For many of them, the referral program has actually become their Careers page! By using the standard referral application template offered by ShareHire, you get all the essential components of such a site: job offers with a search engine, an employer profile, photo galleries and videos, the ability to add information about the team, benefits, the recruitment process, and more. This way, smaller organizations can get a complete package: a referral program, a Careers page, and a built-in ATS, allowing them to effectively acquire not just applications, but also referrals.

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• GoldenLine survey conducted among users, November 2017

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