Employee Referrals
Kent R.
Not long after publishing last week's post, I was on a plane talking to a guy about his job search. He got into some of the themes brought up in that post.
Specifically, he was discouraged because he feels like the employment landscape promotes a "who you know" mentality. He was wondering if there's a place for people who focus on doing good work and not on meeting friends of friends who have a contact within your dream employer's ranks.
The answer is YES!
While networking is alive and well (and a good thing!), more employers are trying to make solid hiring decisions based on qualifications. Similarly, employee referral programs are common, but they don't carry the weight that they used to. Again, employers are paying more attention to the skill set of the person awarded the job.
This shift is one of the few positives that has emerged since the Great Recession.