Job Referrals Don't Work 🌶️

Job Referrals not working for you? Here's why.

I've applied to a ton of companies over the past few years, and according to my experience, the power of a referral is inversely proportional to the size of the company you're applying to. In my case, the smaller the company, the better the chances of a referral working in my favor.

However, when it comes to bigger companies like FAANGs and banks, referrals have little value nowadays for recruiters or hiring managers. Why 🤔? Think about it. Everyone's already applying with referrals, which also dilutes the value of referrals.

But don't lose hope yet! Tailoring your CV and cover letter to the opportunity seems to be the way to go. Read through the JD and find certain keywords that let the recruiter know you've done your research. Putting in the effort to get their attention vastly increases the chances of a callback over just sending in a referral.

So, if you're job hunting, don't rely solely on referrals. Instead, put in the extra effort to stand out from the crowd.