Getting And Retaining Employee Referrals

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Location, City, IL

Month ##, 201#

SMEI Social Media Emotional Intelligencehttp://www.smei.us

Getting and RetainingEmployee Referrals Agenda

Major Stages in Transition Today’s Landing Landscape & Employee Referral Bubble

Who Is An Employee Referral?

Finding Contacts Leveraging LinkedIn Steps In Getting and Retaining Employee Referrals

2SMEI Social Media Emotional Intelligencehttp://www.smei.us

Major Stages In TransitionTraditional Approach Before Social Media

3Major Stages In TransitionSMEI Social Media Emotional Intelligencehttp://www.smei.us

Major Stages In TransitionComplexity Added With Social Media

4Major Stages In TransitionSMEI Social Media Emotional Intelligencehttp://www.smei.us

Why is Connecting with Employee Referrals so important?

Today’s Landing Landscape

5Today’s Landing Landscape

80% Placement

Engineering

CEO and Senior Management

Hiring Manager

Employee Referrals

Employee Referrals

Employee Referral Bubble

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

INTERNET

INTERNET

More than a perfect match


A person at one of your targeted companies who will:

Allow you to use his/her name on an Internet application

Apply for a job position on your behalf to improve your chance for an interview

Identify strengths, behaviors, and improvements needed at the company Introduce you to others who can help you get hired

Give your elevator speech to others

Who Is An Employee Referral?

6Who Is An Employee Referral?SMEI

Social Media Emotional Intelligencehttp://www.smei.us

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Types of Searches

Finding Contacts Leveraging LinkedIn

PeopleInformationSearches

Jobs People

People Messages


FollowCompanies

Groups• Discussions• Jobs• People Directory

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Three Types of Searches (Cont’d)Jobs.

Find qualified jobs and then find people at those related companies. You can have ten of these searches.

People.Set up independent automated people search agents.

You can have three of these searches.Messages.

Search for LinkedIn and Twitter messages using LinkedIn Signal. You can have unlimited searches.



Use LinkedIn’s Job Advanced Search Feature.

Once you find a Job Search that fits your needs, save it to run weekly.

9Finding Contacts Leveraging LinkedIn


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Use LinkedIn’s Advanced Search Feature.◦Put in the title field values related to who can

hire you. Example: Director President◦Specify company names sparingly. ◦Focus words in the keyword field related to

your profession.◦Limit your search to your 2nd Level.◦Keep the search within 35 miles of your zip

code.



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Once you have found a valuable search, save it to run weekly and have the output sent to your e-mail.◦ The key advantage to this technique is that as

your LinkedIn network grows, these weekly alerts will send you links to people who might be able to help you in your job search.

Setup Three Types of Searches◦ People in your profession◦ People who can influence others to get you hired◦ People at specific companies




1. Click on Home



2. Click on Question Mark in the Circle to view a You Tube Video

3. Click within Search Updates Text Box4. Use “hiring”, “looking” ,or “opportunity” keywords for jobs

and one word with your profession5. Use “hired” or “started” keywords for recent landings and

one word with your profession6. Click on Magnifying Glass Button




NOTE: After saving a search, it will appear in a drop down list related to Search Updates on the Home Screen.

SEARCH

CRITERIA


SEARCH

CRITERIA


Static (Always The Same)

Dynamic (Varies Based On Search Results)



Connect Twitter Account In LinkedIn

Steps In Getting Employee Referrals (Overview)

1. Find the Potential Employee Referral.

2. Write a message to the Potential Employee Referral.

3. Compose the right agenda before you meet the potential Employee Referral.

4. Schedule periodic follow-ups.

NOTE: Having 40 – 50 Employee Referrals associated with your job search is most effective. This includes finding, sending a message, setting up a meeting, meeting, or following up later in time with employee referrals.

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Message To TargetedPotential Employee Referral

1. Always try to get introduced to the targeted person through someone you are both connected to on LinkedIn (known as the middleman).

2. LinkedIn introductions or e-mails are the most popular communication methods. Go to http://www.ehow.com/how_2030916_respond-linkedin-introductions.html for LinkedIn introduction instructions.

3. Make sure the middleman is willing to first send a separate message to the potential employee referral stating how you know one another.

4. If it would be helpful, send a draft of the message to the middleman for review and approval.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2030916_respond-linkedin-introductions.html


Introduction Message Elements1. How do you and the middleman know one

another?

This stresses you have a strong networkingrelationship with the person introducing the two of you.

Indicate if you previously worked together or met through networking events.

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Steps In Getting and Retaining Employee Referrals


Introduction Message Elements(Cont’d)

2. Why are you contacting the targeted employee referral?

Look at this person’s LinkedIn profile to determine similarities you can point out.

Look at the differences the individual can tell you regarding information you may not know. Don’t focus on the company at this point.

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Steps In Getting and Retaining Employee ReferralsSMEI Social Media Emotional Intelligencehttp://www.smei.us


3. Why is this company on your radar screen?

State something about how the company impresses you. Examples include great product portfolio, excellent cash flow, high customer loyalty, etc.

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4. Indicate wisdom in your decision making with regard to selecting employment.

Examples of such catchy phrases include:

“I am looking to get more information about the company so that someday I might be able to meet a need for your organization.”

OR

“I am curious if the work environment is right for me.”

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5. Limit your time with a potential employee referral.

Say something like: Can we setup a 15 – 20 minute appointment either in person or over the phone so that I can find out more about what you do, and more about the company?

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FILLED OUT EXAMPLE (Bold words get changed)

Hi Lawrence,

Patrick and I have known one another for some time through the TLA organization (http://www.techleaders.net).

I can see from your LinkedIn profile that we both have service quality experience, and I was wondering if we can chat about your innovation expertise.

I am impressed with WAUSAU's IT focus on customer transformation payments, and curious about the work environment there.

Can we setup a 15 - 20 minute appointment, either over the phone or in person so that I can find out more about you, and more about WAUSAU?

Robert

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Forwarding Tips WithThe Message

• Have that middle man forward your message, with his/her own introduction as a separate message first, or on top of your message.

• A LinkedIn introduction is a useful tool to forward such a message. Got to http://www.ehow.com/how_2030916_respond-linkedin-introductions.html for LinkedIn introduction instructions.

• If you have run out of concurrent LinkedIn introductions, have the middle man forward your profile to the potential employee referral with your message.

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They Want To MeetWith Me. Now What?

1. If the targeted potential employee referral responds favorably, then schedule a meeting at an agreeable place, day, and time.

2. What do you then say to such a person when you meet?• Come up with an agenda with three topics.

1. What you can do for them.2. What they can do for you.3. Follow-up activities.

NOTE: Keep organized by having an employee referral tracker (Rolodex, Microsoft Excel, etc.), so that as your employee referrals grow over time, you have one central list.

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What You Can Do For TheEmployee Referral

1. What you can do for the targeted potential employee referral. Listed below are some examples:

If there are any positions that you are trying to fill for which I am not qualified, I might be able to help you fill them. I have a good sized professional network, and I can help you try to find the best qualified candidate.

I noticed that you are in a professional group that is looking for a good presenter on training personnel with IT technology. I know of such a person in my professional network and would be willing to introduce you.

NOTE: Make an offer to give, without expecting anything in return. The giving offer is more believable if it is made at the beginning of the conversation.

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What The Employee Referral Can Do For You

2. What the targeted potential employee referral can do for you.

A. Tell the person that you are looking to get more insight into his/her role at the company, and the company itself. Give a brief statement of what you know before asking him/her to indicate more insight into his/her role.

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B. Ask the individual what are the strengths of the company and/or organization where he/she works, as well as the behaviors that drive the employees to achieve these strengths. The answer to this question can help you determine how to answer behavior questions in an interview.





C. Key question to state would then be, “What are the problems or challenges you are facing today?” AND/OR “What keeps you awake at night?”

If you find a response relates to one of your accomplishments, do not expand that conversation by indicating how you will solve that problem with a series of steps.

Rather, state the following: “Have you tried this….? I have had some experience with this…, but let’s discuss some other challenges or problems you are currently facing today.”

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C. Key question to state would then be, “What are the problems or challenges you are facing today?” AND/OR “What keeps you awake at night?” (Cont’d)

Your objective is to hopefully find 5 – 10 problems and/or challenges your referral is facing, where you are the solution (niche) provider. You cannot do this if you spend too much time discussing your solution to one of his/her challenges.

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D. Let him/her know that you are looking to meet someone in the company that would be willing to be an employee referral.

DO NOT MAKE THIS REQUEST DIRECTLY TO HIM/HER.

People do not like being put on the spot. By this point in the conversation, the targeted potential employee referral will indicate he/she would be willing to honor your request.





D. Let him/her know that you are looking to meet someone in the company that would be willing to be an employee referral. (Cont’d)

If Yes, find out what is the company employee referral process.If No, go to step 2. E. for setting the stage for follow-up at a later time.





E. Ask if you can follow-up with that person in 2 – 4 months, either in person or over the phone. If your contact says yes, make sure to document this in your tracker (Rolodex, Microsoft Excel, etc.) after you get home.

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Steps In Getting and Retaining Employee ReferralsSMEI



3. Any other topics that the employee referral would like to discuss.

• This is the opportunity for the employee referral to ask questions about you and/or bring up an employment opportunity that you have not seen before. Be prepared to jump into such an opportunity if he/she brings it up.

• Remember to have two copies of related job leads available!

35SMEI Social Media Emotional Intelligencehttp://www.smei.us

Steps In Getting and Retaining Employee Referrals

Follow-up Activities

4. Review the action items mentioned in the meeting.

5. Close the meeting by exchanging business cards, shaking hands, and wishing each other well.

6. Send a thank you e-mail within 24 hours. Perhaps a written note.

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Steps In Getting and Retaining Employee ReferralsSMEI


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Getting and Retaining Employee ReferralsSMEI


Getting And Retaining Employee Referrals

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