According to the Harvard Business Review, Researchers have found that referrals are more likely to be qualified professionals, have job stability, and perform better. All of this adds up to less time spent on the hiring process, lower turnover, and increased overall productivity. Additionally, 18% of referrals are more likely to be happy with their jobs. 45% of employees hired through employee referrals stay for more than four years, and only 25% of job board hires stay for more than two years. Moreover, employee referrals are preferred over all other sourcing options by 82% of employers.
Finding candidates with specific niche skills and filling positions that require a high level of security clearance can be a persistent challenge while recruiting. In our previous blogs, we explored different challenges and the corresponding strategies to overcome them. One of these strategies is leveraging Employee Referrals. A referral is when a current employee of a company recommends a potential new hire to that company. Referrals can be used as a powerful tool in cleared hiring, typically involving positions with high-security clearance. Referrals can give you quality candidates and save you a lot of time by reducing the sourcing and screening time of the cleared candidates and increasing the likelihood of longevity.
This blog will provide you with some insights on how referrals can facilitate the screening process, give access to hidden talent with a wide candidate pool, and help fill up the cleared positions within a stipulated time.
How Employee Referrals can speed up the Cleared Hiring Process
1. Wider Pool of Candidates: Referrals increase the candidate pool for open positions by leveraging existing employees’ personal and professional networks. Referrals can come from colleagues, friends, acquaintances, or even professional networks, providing a broader range of potential candidates with security clearances. Hiring cleared candidates through referrals such as current employees, colleagues, or professional contacts involves a higher degree of trust. Someone who is already working with an organization has earned that trust, and when they refer someone to the same organization, there is a high chance that the referral can be trustworthy and will be a great addition to the organization.
2. Top Quality Candidates: In the case of referrals, employers may expedite the initial screening steps, such as reviewing resumes, checking basic qualifications, and assessing their suitability for the role, if they are recommended by trusted sources. Referrals provide a gateway to a vast, often hidden network of Cleared professionals who possess the necessary qualifications to perform the job.
3. Faster Verification Process: Referrals with existing security clearances can help speed up the verification process. While the clearance is typically unique to an individual, a referred candidate with an active clearance may go through a faster and more streamlined security clearance validation process than candidates without clearances.
4. Streamlined Process: Referrals are typically assessed based on their qualifications, experience, and potential fit for the open position. Referrals may be prioritized by hiring managers due to the inherent credibility associated with recommendations from reliable sources. They have already undergone an evaluation process that includes interviews, technical assessments, and reference checks to determine their suitability for the role. Organizations can thus greatly benefit from hiring referral candidates, as it offers a cost-effective approach to filling cleared positions requiring niche skills.
5. Simplified Reference Checks: Hiring managers can contact the person who referred the candidate to learn more about the candidate’s qualifications, work ethic, and character. This can be very useful during the reference-checking process, and it can help an organization identify the candidates who are likely to blend well with the organization’s culture.
How can iQuasar help
iQuasar has been hiring cleared candidates for over two decades now. The experience iQuasar brings to the table has helped various organizations fill their cleared positions. Our team is dedicated to fostering positive relationships with candidates. At iQuasar, we proactively engage with cleared professionals, initiating meaningful conversations to establish rapport and enhance our organization’s reputation. Our ability to have these conversations and build relationships with candidates has helped iQuasar get access to a significant pool of qualified referral candidates.
To learn more about our service offerings,
Get in touch with us today.
