How Important are Referrals?
If your work experience has already established you in your industry you might not think that referrals are necessary.
However, a personal referral from someone who is connected to the company where you are seeking employment really could be worth the effort.
Don’t underestimate the importance of networking when it comes to obtaining the perfect referral.
Networking + Referrals = Faster Job Search
How do you find the RIGHT referral?
A referral letter from a previous boss, co-worker, or someone in the industry is good. But even better, as mentioned earlier, is someone who is connected to you and the company you are seeking. Employers are people too, and everyone feels more comfortable with people who they know or think they know well.
So, what is the quickest and easiest way to find out if the people who you know also know the people that you want to know? Are you still with me?
It’s a handy and free tool called LinkedIn. We know you are already familiar with this networking tool. You wouldn’t have made it this far in your career without using it a least a little.
I just want to point out a way you can use LinkedIn that you may not have thought about.
Related: 5 Huge Networking Mistakes
CareerResumes.com can help you locate different leads to get you started if you can’t think of any right away.
When contacting someone for a referral it is always best, and polite, to ask the person about themselves and their experience and expertise first. Get to know them better and gauge how they might help you in your search before talking about yourself.
How to use Referrals in the Interview Process
Once you have established the connections and obtained a referral or two, what is the best way to utilize them?
If your referral is really influential and solid (which he or she will be), you can use a service like ours to help you incorporate the right things in your cover letter.
In the interview it is important to establish the connection you have with your referral in a way that relates to the job you are seeking.
Talk about common:
- Traits
- Experiences
- Management/work styles
- Life lessons
- Hobbies and interests
You are more likely to get hired if the interviewer is led to feel like he or she really knows you. One way to establish this is through common connections.
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