In an ideal world, a hiring manager has the time and resources to thoroughly scour the background of every candidate, whether or not the candidate came to the company as the result of an employee referral. In the real world, however, hiring managers don’t have this kind of support.

Scarce time and resources make it invaluable for hiring managers to “gut check” employee referrals for potential qualifications before a full-scale resume review and reference check is launched. Here are some signs that the employee’s referral ought to be pursued:

• The employee is top talent or a “rising star.” Motivated, innovative people tend to flock together. If your employee is one of the best, chances are good he or she recognizes excellence and can recommend other top players.
• The employee is engaged. Engaged employees are paying attention to what the company needs and how its culture operates, improving their ability to recommend the right people at the right time.
• The referral is for a high-impact or hard-to-fill job. Studies show that these referrals tend to produce the best ROI. Focus efforts on examining candidates for these positions, rather than referrals for jobs that are easily filled through conventional channels.

Avoiding “Employee Pressure” to Hire a Referral

Employees tend to refer people they like. This can be a great benefit for your company: employees who like one another work better together, and if one employee likes a candidate, they probably share similar traits – including the traits that help your employee succeed within your company’s culture.

However, a referral is no guarantee that a company will hire the referred candidate, and it should never be treated as such. Here are several ways to reduce the pressure employees might bring to bear after a referral:

• Use uniform, written standards for referrals. Giving employees the ability to see at a glance what the standards for a particular position or referral are reduces the number of questions about qualifications. It leads to more qualified referrals and fewer assertions that the company’s standards are arbitrary.
• Separate referring employees from the candidate review process. Once a referral has been made, screening and hiring should proceed like they would for any other candidate – and this expectation should be made clear to your staff.
• Expand your candidate reach. Employee referrals are a great way to find qualified, compatible people, but using them as your only method for finding new hires can create “skills gaps” and potential legal or ethical issues. Employ multiple methods for finding qualified people, including a partnership with a staffing firm.

At SMR Group, our experienced recruiters can help you find qualified talent who mesh well with your company’s culture. Contact us today to learn more about our sales and marketing recruiting solutions for the pharmaceutical, medical, and biotech industries. We look forward to hearing from you!