Employee Referral” vs actual internal referral - should I go back to my contacts?
I’ve networked with a few people for corporate banking who ended our conversations by saying something along the lines of “when applications open, let me know if I can help.” When the roles opened, I applied through Workday and selected Employee Referral under “How did you hear about us?” and entered their names. I then let them know I applied and used their name. I’m now wondering if I misunderstood how referrals work. Does entering someone’s name there actually count as an internal referral / meaningfully flag the application, or is it mostly just a sourcing field? If these people had previously offered to help when recruiting started, should I go back to them and specifically ask whether they’d be willing to submit an internal referral or flag my application to recruiting? Or would that be redundant/annoying after I already put their name down in Workday? Curious how this works from anyone who has recruited at a bank or referred candidates internally.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, simply selecting "Employee Referral" in Workday and entering someone's name does not necessarily count as a formal internal referral. This field is often used for sourcing purposes, and it may not carry the same weight as an actual internal referral where the employee actively submits your resume or flags your application to HR or the recruiting team.
If the individuals you networked with previously offered to help, it would be wise to follow up with them. Politely ask if they would be willing to formally refer you or flag your application internally. This step is not redundant or annoying, as many employees understand the importance of referrals in the recruiting process and are often happy to assist if they’ve already expressed willingness.
Here’s how you could approach it: 1. Send a concise and polite email or LinkedIn message thanking them for their earlier offer to help. 2. Mention that you’ve applied and included their name in the Workday system but wanted to check if they’d be open to submitting a formal referral or flagging your application to the recruiting team. 3. Keep the tone professional and appreciative, ensuring they don’t feel pressured.
This proactive step can significantly increase the visibility of your application and demonstrate your initiative.
Sources: Getting referred for internships, Employee Referral on Online Application, Guide to Lateraling in 2021, Questions about recruiting/employee referrals
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