Do Referrals Work Faster in IT Than Adverts?

Consider This: You found a perfect job vacancy. You applied on it through a job portal. You waited for an interview call, but nothing happened. No call, not even an email. Disappointed…

Reconsider This: You found a perfect job vacancy in an organization where your friend already worked. You applied through his reference. You waited for an interview call. And the next thing you have in your hand is the appointment letter.

Can you tell the difference between the first and the second consideration?

Well yes, job portals have been very useful in job search especially for fresh graduates. But when it comes to experienced professionals job portals don’t really work.  Because whenever an excellent job position opens employees quickly refer their associates. This is when the links and references work, as pointed out by Khurram Rana, former Human Resource Manager TRG,

“When it comes to reaching out to that talent Software professionals are really well connected. Before we advertise jobs, we have 100 CVs already in our inbox. People are always on the lookout for applying at high profile companies. We hold a very strong place in the market and advertising is quite extensive. But when it comes to networking and references, advertising takes a back seat. We go through at least 1000 to 1500 candidates per month. Out of which 90 per cent are referred through our own employees“

On the other hand, Human Resource consultant Husnain Ahmad pointed out,

“While your marketing department is still planning to advertise job vacancies at job portals or leading newspapers just pick one employee ask for one CV, the very next day he will come up with at least 10-15. So adverts in IT don’t really work the way they should. I have hundreds of CVs lying around, as soon as someone asks for a referral I consider it my duty to provide them with the CV as soon as possible. That fills up the space and the need.”

These were the brief views of Human Resource Professionals, as pointed out earlier, fresh graduates face many difficulties in this respect, as Ali Umair pointed out,

“I have applied at many companies through online job boards, but so far have completely failed to find the right kind of job for myself. I have received interview calls but at the end I have been rejected twice due to the fact that I do not have any professional experience. I have seen others with the same qualification as mine acing the interviews. It is all about references”

Similarly female job seekers are also of the same opinion, as pointed out by Saima Najeeb, a senior software engineer,

“I have four years of professional experience; I started off with the most renowned software house in town. References are not always the case. I started off as a fresh graduate and have a very stable career for that matter. I applied through online form available on the websites, and that worked for me. Yes references do play a major role, but it is not always the case, it all boils down to your luck as well.”

So at the end, we can sum up our discussion with the fact that job portals and other online job boards have made a remarkable impact on the way hiring is done in the IT Industry. But at the end of the day it is always contacts and references that always win the race. IT professionals are excellent at networking so the word spread around faster than the speed of light.