Would You Pay for a Company Referral?

Searching for a job is hard, but a few good referrals can make the process significantly easier. Resumes and cover letters hardly get a glance, but a glowing recommendation makes a difference, especially in the tech industry. Plenty of big tech companies encourage recommendations, offering employees big bonuses for referring new talent.

Rooftop Slushie, a marketplace that connects job seekers with industry professionals, is introducing a new wrinkle into the referral process. On the platform, you can pay for a referral to top tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook.

Rooftop Slushie Referrals

Rooftop Slushie offers a variety of career-building tools. For instance, you can connect with professionals for resume reviews, interview tips, and salary evaluations. The most interesting aspect, however, is the referral program. According to the site, nearly 13,000 employees have received reviews through Rooftop Slushie, and the platform overall has a 4.8/5 star rating from more than 10,000 reviews.

The process is actually pretty simple. Anyone looking for a referral can post on Rooftop Slushie with their work experience and what they’re looking for. The posting includes a price per reference, usually $20-$50. For instance, take this posting of someone looking for a job at Facebook.

The poster requested three references at $30 per head, and three Facebook employees signed up to reference the poster. Both the poster and employees are anonymous on the site, but can choose to share more info about one another after connecting.

Do Referrals Work? 

Referral processes make tons of sense for employers. Studies show that referred hires cost less time and money to onboard, and often stick around longer than employees found in other ways. References go a long way, so it’s no wonder that Rooftop Slushie offers this service, and that it works well.

However, should it work? Typically when an employee refers someone, they can personally vouch for their skills and strengths. A platform like Rooftop Slushie creates an environment where employees may not know much, if anything, about the person they’re recommending.

Rooftop Slushie probably isn’t disrupting the hiring process of major firms like Amazon, though. These firms didn’t get to where they are by hiring people based on referrals alone. The most qualified candidates will always win out, but without internal references, it can be difficult for some qualified candidates to get noticed. The referral service, like the other tools on Rooftop Slushie, is designed to help someone find a job, but it’s obviously not a guarantee.

The Bottom Line

Some have questioned the ethics of Rooftop Slushie’s referral program, but it generally seems like a harmless way for job seekers to get a connection at a big firm. Of course, you can always cold message people through LinkedIn, but Rooftop Slushie is designed to connect job seekers with employees willing to write referrals. It’s certainly a unique spin on networking, but one that benefits everyone involved.

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