4INCREASE

REFERRALS FOR INDEPENDENT CONTRACT HIRES

SUREFIRE WAYS TO

1FORMALIZE YOUR EMPLOYEE REFERRAL SYSTEM

When you’re getting started with employee referrals, it helps to have an actual

system in place. This system can assist your staffing agency to stay organized and

on track, as well as understand which people or teams are bringing in the most

employee referrals.

It’s important to understand what you want out of your employee referral

program. For example, if the goal is to increase referrals for independent

contractors, your staffing agency should be able to use a system that’s tailored

towards that need. This may mean utilizing a program that allows you to list a

more detailed job description or pulls an employee who has a network of

independent contractors. !

FORMALIZED SYSTEM CONTINUED

2 MAKE THE MOVE TO MOBILE

When you don’t make the move to mobile, you’re essentially limiting the types of

referrals you receive. For example, if a member of your staffing agency were at an

independent contractor career fair and wanted to refer a quality candidate, they

would have to wait until they’re either in-house or by a standing computer. This

wastes time when you could have enabled certain mobile technologies within your

referral system. !!

!Mobile capabilities helps people to refer independent contractors whenever,

wherever. Here are a few ways to make the move to mobile:

!● Mobile career sites are a place referrers can point members of their network

to, ensuring a smoother candidate experience

● Mobile referral applications allow employees to access the referral program

from their mobile devices, not just through an office computer or in-house

operational system like an intranet

● Text and push notifications are key drivers that can assist referrers to stay

active and engaged in the referral process

!The combination of these allows more people to be involved in a referral program,

which is particularly helpful to those who are remote, on-the-go, or would like to

make a quick referral from a professional event.

!!

MOVE TO MOBILE CONTINUED

3SOCIALIZE YOUR REFERRALS

The power of social recruiting is undeniable. Not only can it improve

candidate quality, but also it can bring you to those candidates with faster

turnaround. When you consider the potential reach offered by the combined

population of all members of your staffing agency who are willing to sign on

to a social referral program, there are a multitude of benefits. !

For example, socializing your referrals allows you to tap into multiple networks,

such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Additionally, access to the social networks of your

staffing agency - and the organization you’re assisting - permits you to reach first,

second, and third degree connections, opening up your referrals to more

candidates.

!If your staffing agency has 100 members and each of those members has 300

friends on a social network like Facebook, you’re opening yourself up to 30,000

potential referrals. Clearly, not all of those connections will be qualified for the job.

However, it does give you access to more people, with the potential of finding the

right independent contractor for the job. !

SOCIALIZING REFERRALS CONTINUED

4REWARD EFFORT

You should reward referrers at every step of the referral process, not just for

the hire itself. For example, if someone referred a few quality independent

contractors, they should receive some sort of reward for going through the

process. If a candidate gets a second interview, another reward can be given.

Finally, if the candidate is hired, an even better prize should be waiting. This

not only motivates referrers to suggest quality independent contractors, but

also it can increase participation and engagement. !!

You don’t have to hand out wads of dollar bills, either. On the contrary, cash

rewards aren’t always the way to go since they may pose tax problems, involve

due diligence, and are a complicated process overall. You don’t want to create a

system that results in more trouble and costs more money. The point of a

referral system is to cut down on cost and minimize time to hire -complicated

cash rewards can elongate this process.

!Instead, offer smaller employee and team rewards. Smaller rewards allow you

to offer more, while still keeping your wallet in check. Among others, here are

some great rewards you can offer to your staffing agency, as well as anyone

involved in the process:

!● Professional development

● Social recognition

● Extra paid-time-off

● Subscriptions to industry publications

● Parking space

● Gift cards

● Movie tickets

REWARD EFFORT CONTINUED