CareerBuilder is rewarding employees for sharing job openings to their social media channels through their new platform, SocialReferral.
Employees can share job openings on SocialReferral through email, text, social media and Whatsapp. The platform allows employers to track which employees are sharing job openings, and how many applicants apply because of that individual employee. Employees receive points for posting open opportunities to SocialReferral, and they rack up even more points if their referral gets an interview or job offer. Those points can be used to redeem prizes, such as Amazon gift cards.
“Employers should be encouraging their workforce to refer people from their network for two reasons: referrals have a higher ROI and longer retention rates than general hires,” says Michelle Armer, chief people officer at CareerBuilder. “If you want to recruit the best talent, you need to look to the people you already have for help.”
CareerBuilder launched SocialReferral in Europe months ago for testing. The French division of an IT company, ENGIE IT, reported a 250% increase in employee referrals for job openings after using SocialReferral, according to Armer.
Traditionally, bonuses are used to incentivize employees to share openings with their personal network, but employees typically don’t receive anything until the referred candidate is hired. CareerBuilder executives thought rewarding employees for simply making an effort to promote their company would drive engagement, and more high-quality candidates to open positions.
“When you make the process like a game and give prizes, you’re going to see more engagement,” Armer says. “The reward system doesn’t necessarily replace referral bonuses; using both will give employees even more reason to promote your company.”
SocialReferral also functions like a social media channel; employees can share photos of office events, like a company-sponsored holiday party, to give job seekers a glimpse of a company’s culture. A few weeks ago, Armer used the platform to share CareerBuilder’s office “Galentine’s Day” party. Employers also have the option to create social media challenges for their workforce.
“One thing job seekers want to know most about a company is what it’s like to work there,” Armer says. “When an employee shares content about their company, it receives 800% more engagement than those shared by the company itself. Something about the information coming from an employee feels more authentic and raw to job seekers.”
SocialReferral also encourages employers to post about employees who meet impressive goals or win awards ,which Armer says will foster a company culture where employees feel recognized and appreciated for their efforts.
“Having a strong culture is a critical competitive advantage for talent, whether it’s attracting new or keeping the ones you have,” Armer says. “Letting people see it on social media is going to build your brand as a great place to work.”
