Research from 2013 showed that employers more than ever turn to their existing staff for referrals in filling new open positions. One example is Ernst & Young, whose "employee recommendations now account for 45% of non entry-level placements" there, 15%+ more than in 2010.

And other companies are giving current employees incentives like iPads, cash, televisions, for referring people in their network.

This is true at all levels of companies, including managers and executives. At one company, "referred employees are 10 times more likely to be hired than other applicants."

Three economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York studied one company where they found that employee-generated referrals were hired there at twice the rate of non-referred candidates. Talk about doubling your chances, simply by being known by someone "inside"!

What this means for the passive, not-really-looking-right-now candidate is "Keep up your network", because you never know when you will want to truly start looking for your next position.

For the person between jobs who let their network "go" when last employed, don't waste any time in rejoining professional groups. And in mining LinkedIn for new contacts, and joining LinkedIn professional groups and connecting with fellow members. Volunteer to give AND to meet new people and expand your network. It's worth every minute.

One of my pet sayings has always been "hang out with the employed" and it's never been more critical than now for you and your career to do exactly that.


Source: New York Times, 1.27.13: "In Hiring, a Friend in Need Is a Prospect, Indeed" by Nelson Schwartz.

Ever wonder how people discover those great new companies that everyone instantly wants to work for? That next Google or Apple or General Mills or 3M, where it would be phenomenal to get in on "the ground floor"?

Here, I give four tips on this. Use 'em -- and when you land there, let us know!