How to refer a friend for a job

To refer a friend for a job you need to see if the company you work for has a referral program, inquire with your friend, and get your friend's professional information and materials. Here are some details on these steps and others you can take to successfully recommend a friend for a job:

• See if the company you work for has a referral program

  Some companies have a referral program in place for this very function, and it often rewards employees for referring qualified job candidates. Communicate with your company's HR department, or other appropriate department, to find out if a program like this exists, and what the process is to refer someone.

• Inquire with your friend

  Before making the referral, ask your friend if they are interested in the position at your company. Making sure they have interest and are qualified for the role is essential.

• Get your friend's professional information and materials

  Next, you should collect all of the relevant professional information and materials from your friend. This includes items like their resume, education, key skills, professional experience, and their work samples or work portfolio. These items are very important because they can help validate your referral to your company.

• Submit the referral for your friend

  Follow your company's specific process for submitting the referral of your friend. This might involve filling out a referral form and submitting your friend's resume, and any other required materials. Make sure you understand each stage of the process before submitting.

• Follow up with HR or a hiring manager

  After a little bit of time has passed since you have submitted the referral, you should follow up with HR, a hiring manager, recruiter, or other appropriate official to get an update on the status of your referral.