1. Configuring Referral Access and Submission Methods
Decision: How will employees access the referral program and what options will be available for submitting referrals (e.g., via internal career site, social sharing, manual entry)?
Why it is critical for implementation: Defining access points and submission options ensures that employees can easily refer candidates, helping to maximize participation and streamline the referral process.
Example: The organization enables the "Refer Friend to Job" link on the internal career site, allowing employees to refer directly or share postings through email and social networks.
2. Defining Required Referral Data Fields
Decision: What data fields and candidate information must employees provide when making a referral?
Why it is critical for implementation: Collecting the right information upfront ensures recruiters have enough details to properly evaluate and contact referred candidates, reducing follow-ups and delays.
Example: Requiring employees to provide the candidate’s name, email address, phone number, and resume when submitting a referral.
3. Tracking and Displaying Referral Sources
Decision: How will the system track and display the source of each referred candidate for recruiters and hiring managers?
Why it is critical for implementation: Accurately tracking referral sources enables reporting on program effectiveness, proper reward assignment, and ensures recruiters give priority or tailored handling to referred candidates.
.Example: Referred candidates appear in the recruiter dashboard with a "Referred by" field and a visual indicator, making it easy for recruiters to identify and filter referrals.
4. Managing Referral Status Visibility for Employees
Decision: What referral status information will be visible to referring employees, and how and when will they be notified about progress?
Why it is critical for implementation: Providing status updates to referring employees keeps them engaged, improves their program experience, and encourages ongoing participation in referral efforts.
Example: Referrers can log into the Careers tab and view the progression of their referrals (e.g., "Under Review," "Interview Scheduled") but are not notified if the candidate has been disqualified.
5. Customizing Communication and Notification Templates
Decision: What communication or notification templates will be used for referrers and referred candidates, and who will maintain these templates, considering system limitations?
Why it is critical for implementation: Well-designed email templates provide clarity, consistency, and engagement for both referrers and candidates, while awareness of system limitations (like lack of delayed sending) ensures realistic planning.
Example: HR creates standardized referral confirmation and status update templates, and assigns responsibility for ongoing maintenance to the recruiting communications team, acknowledging that invite-to-apply emails are not sent for referrals.