How can you improve your startup's referral program with recruiting tools and platforms?

1 Define your referral goals and incentives

Before you launch or improve your referral program, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will reward your referrers. For example, you may want to set specific goals for the number, quality, and diversity of referrals you want to receive. You may also want to offer different incentives for different roles, stages, or outcomes of the referral process. For example, you may offer cash, gift cards, or vouchers for successful referrals, or you may offer recognition, feedback, or gamification for participation. Whatever you choose, make sure your referral goals and incentives are aligned with your hiring strategy and budget, and communicate them clearly and frequently to your referrers.

2 Use recruiting tools and platforms to streamline and automate your referral process

One of the main challenges of running a referral program is managing the logistics and communication of the referral process. You need to make it easy and convenient for your referrers to submit and track their referrals, and for your recruiters to review and follow up with them. This is where recruiting tools and platforms can help you. There are many options available in the market, such as Drafted, RolePoint, or Firstbird, that can help you streamline and automate your referral process. These tools and platforms can help you integrate your referral program with your existing hiring software, such as your ATS or CRM, and provide features such as referral forms, dashboards, notifications, reminders, analytics, and reports. By using these tools and platforms, you can save time and resources, improve transparency and accountability, and enhance the experience and engagement of your referrers and candidates.

3 Leverage your network and social media to promote your referral program

Another way to improve your referral program with recruiting tools and platforms is to leverage your network and social media to promote your referral program and reach a wider and more diverse pool of potential candidates. You can use tools and platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to share your job openings, referral incentives, and success stories with your followers, contacts, and groups. You can also use tools and platforms such as Meetup, Eventbrite, or Zoom to host or attend online or offline events related to your industry, niche, or interest, and network with potential referrers and candidates. By using these tools and platforms, you can increase your visibility and credibility, build relationships and trust, and generate more referrals and leads for your startup.