71% of HR Professionals Say Employee Referrals Make the Best Hires

Posted On: June 7, 2016

Staffing Industry Analysts uncovered an interesting discrepancy between what employers say their top candidate sourcing tool is versus what active job seekers actually do. In a recent survey by a joint venture between a job board and a research firm, 71% of HR professionals said that their most successful new hires were found through employee referrals. However, only 7% of candidates utilize their network to search for their next job. Here are some other startling facts that came out of this collaboration.

Value of Passive Candidates

Employers acknowledged that it is their belief that passive candidates possess more and better skills than their active job seeker counter parts. In fact, 44% of employers reported that passive candidates have more experience, 44% said they have valuable skills, and 42% believe they take their career more seriously.

Effects of College Major Program

Liberal arts degrees, while providing students with well-rounded backgrounds, are not actively sought after in the marketplace. 14% of the job seekers surveyed indicated they have a liberal arts major background, but only 2% of the employers said they were actively recruiting for these degrees. On the flip side, 15% of job seekers reported degrees in engineering but 30% of companies are recruiting engineering graduates.

No Focus on GPA

Job seekers and employers are in agreement that internship experience is weighed heavily for an employment prospect. However, hiring companies aren’t concerned at all with a candidate’s college GPA. Only 6% even consider this information. But employers are much more concerned with cultural fit, at 24%, while only 15% of job seekers consider this important.

Few Employers Help with Advancement

Some of the widest discrepancies come from the expectation of advancement within a company. Only 50% of job seekers felt that their current employer were actively engaged in their advancement. Companies believe that they are participating with access to promotions and project assignments, but workers say they are looking for leadership development training.

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