- Employee referrals are one of the tools in Netflix's arsenal for finding rockstar recruits.
- Referrals can help prospective candidates land a phone interview with the streaming-video company, though a recommendation alone won't guarantee job at Netflix.
- Netflix doesn't offer employees bonuses or other perks for referrals, so prospective candidates will have to prove they're worth it by doing their homework before asking for a recommendation.
- Business Insider spoke to former employees to get their tips for getting referrals and using them to land an interview with Netflix.
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Netflix, which routinely ranks in surveys as one of most attractive places to work in tech, has an army of recruiters hunting for top candidates for its more than 450 current job openings.
The streaming-video giant, like other companies, also relies on employee referrals to find rockstar recruits. About 15% of people on Glassdoor who said they interviewed at Netflix got the opportunity through employee referrals.
A recommendation from an employee can help get a prospective candidate a call from a recruiter, but applicants will still have to showcase their skills and how they fit into Netflix's culture to get hired.
Netflix confirmed to Business Insider that it values employee recommendations, but is most interested in finding the best person for each role, be it through referrals or other means.
"Referrals are important because you can get great employees that want to be part of a company," said Ryan Sutton, a district president at the staffing firm, Robert Half Technology. "But no great tech company would ever look past the technical skills."
Business Insider spoke to former Netflix employees for tips on getting and using referrals to get hired at Netflix - and advice on what not to do.
What to expect when an employee recommends you for a job at Netflix
A recommendation from a current Netflix employee should, for the most part, get you a 30-minute call from a Netflix recruiter, former employees familiar with the process told Business Insider.
Candidates who come recommended by employees within the company usually get to the top of the pile, so to speak, when there's an opening they might fit into. Recruiters will call or otherwise reach out to people who have been referred.
Where candidates go from there largely depends on how they present themselves in the phone interview. The interview will typically be with a recruiter who will want to know why the candidate is interested in Netflix, and the broad strokes of where they are in their career. There may also be a rigorous technical test, depending on the role, followed by more interviews.
Netflix's famed culture deck compares the company to a sports team, where "every player on the field is amazing in their position." The interview process is just as important, if not more, than the referral.
Do your homework before you ask an employee for a referral
Netflix doesn't have a formal referral program that offers bonuses or other perks for referring employees who get hired. (It doesn't offer any bonuses.) That's rare among tech companies, Sutton at Robert Half Technology said.
So, job hunters seeking referrals from Netflix employees will really have to show they're worth the energy.
Insiders also said they received referral requests from friends, family, and strangers on LinkedIn and elsewhere. They could not recommend everyone.
Before reaching out for a referral - even to a friend - get familiar with the Netflix culture deck and be ready to demonstrate that you are a fit. Referrers will want to gauge whether you can live up to the company's values of judgment, communications, curiosity, courage, passion, selflessness, inclusion, integrity, and impact before they refer you.
"I've never been a place where a larger group of people is trying really hard to live up to something," said one former employee, referring to the culture deck.
Craft your social profiles, resumé, or portfolio to showcase your skills, more than just your job titles. Netflix is known for making "unconventional hires" who may not have held the exact role they're hiring for before but have transferable skills for roles, insiders say.
Netflix employees will also be more likely to respond to invitations to view your portfolio of work rather than a cold email or LinkedIn message asking for a referral, especially if you're applying for a creative role.
"Lots of people would ask for referrals," one former employee said. "If there was an opening on the team, I might consider it. It's little easier if you see someone's work."
Sutton also recommended adding a banner image to your LinkedIn profile to show your personality, or specialty, such as the Los Angeles skyline if you're applying for a position at Netflix's Hollywood offices, or something more creative, if you're seeking a design job.
If possible, offer to meet in person. As with any form of communication, you're more likely to get a recommendation if you can form a personal connection with the referrer, and show that you'd be a culture fit. But, be mindful that Netflix employees are busy and may not immediately have time.
Insiders also recommended applying for openings through Netflix's website before requesting a referral. Netflix really does mine those online applications, the insiders say. The employee recommendations could go further if recruiters see the person who was referred has been actively applying, and interested in Netflix.
"If you're asking somebody for a referral into their company, that's a very, very big favor," Sutton said. "If you haven't done your homework, you're not ready for a referral."
Don't use referrals as a crutch in the interview process
While recommendations can help candidates get a foot in the door at Netflix, name dropping won't help much in the interview and vetting process.
A referral will get the conversation started with Netflix. It won't land candidates the job.
One former employee said they brought up their referrer in the first recruiting call, and were quickly told that the call was about why they were interested in Netflix.
"If they do get a referral, I wouldn't use it as a crutch in the interview process," that person said. "Referrals do not generally work as well at Netflix as they do other places."
Instead of name dropping, candidates should play up their skill sets and how they fit into Netflix's culture. Or, they can use the referrer to explain why they're interested in Netflix: "I was impressed with the freedom and responsibility X had to own this project. I think I would thrive in that environment for these reasons."
That said, referrals from people on the team you're interested in can go a long way.
"Usually, you hire somebody and they're a gold mine of referrals," said another former employee. "Referrals by people on your team carry a lot of weight."
Netflix looks for employees who not only fit in with its corporate culture, but mesh with the existing dynamics on the team.
Send your tips or questions about working at Netflix to this reporter at arodriguez@businessinsider.com. Email for Signal number.
