Why would employees refer candidates they've never met?

Because modern referrals aren't about personal favours - they're about signal, trust and efficiency. Employees refer through ReferPool to help their company hire better and faster, to line up strong replacements when they're moving on, and to earn referral bonuses without risking their reputation. PeerScreen acts as a trust layer, helping employees refer only candidates who meet their standards.

Do referrals actually increase my chances of getting hired?

Yes. Industry data consistently shows: 10x higher response rate than cold applications, 40% of all hires come from referrals (despite being only 7% of applicants), 2-3 weeks faster time-to-hire on average, and 4x higher retention rate after first year. ReferPool is built entirely around this reality.

Be on the radar before
jobs appear.

Outsmart the competition by networking inside companies
before their vacancies are flooded with applications.

Most hires happen before vacancies are even advertised externally.
Employees are often the first to know about potential vacancies at companies you'd love to work for.
Now you can be on their radar so they find you first.

Access the Pre-Vacancy Job Market at top companies:

Google

Meta

Apple

Amazon

Netflix

Microsoft

Spotify

Nike

Stripe

Salesforce

Adobe

Uber

Airbnb

Shopify

Goldman Sachs

JPMorgan

Deloitte

McKinsey

Tesla

IBM

Google

Meta

Apple

Amazon

Netflix

Microsoft

Spotify

Nike

Stripe

Salesforce

Adobe

Uber

Airbnb

Shopify

Goldman Sachs

JPMorgan

Deloitte

McKinsey

Tesla

IBM

Google

Meta

Apple

Amazon

Netflix

Microsoft

Spotify

Nike

Stripe

Salesforce

Adobe

Uber

Airbnb

Shopify

Goldman Sachs

JPMorgan

Deloitte

McKinsey

Tesla

IBM

Open [the right] doors before you've even knocked
ReferPool at work:

Get on the radar

Be seen by employees inside companies you want to work for - before jobs hit job boards.

Question 2/3

What unique skills would you bring?

My experience in...

Show your intent

Complete PeerScreens created by the employee to show them fit, motivation and availability for roles you may be a match for.

Sarah Chen

Product Manager

Let's schedule an interview!

Get referred (or real feedback)

Employees invite you to interviews, keep you in their Talent Pool, or give direct feedback.

Anonymous by default. No recruiters. No mass applications.

We're not trying to kill job boards
- they're dead already

Fake jobs & ghosting

•Roles posted but already filled internally
•Applications disappear into a black hole
•Never hear back, even after interviews
•Job postings left up for months

AI - flooded vacancies

•Hundreds of AI-generated applications per role
•Impossible to stand out in the noise
•Automated rejections within seconds
•No way to show real interest or fit

No human context

•Screened by algorithms, not people
•AI competing with AI leads to zero
•No feedback on why you were rejected
•Can't demonstrate culture fit on paper

Be on the radar of employees at your target companies

Make them aware of your skills, interests, desired location, goals, etc. - not your identity.

Your Mini Profile

(Anonymous)

Corporate Management

UX Design

Business Development

Google

Product Manager

London

Meta

Senior Engineer

Dublin

Apple

Design Lead

Paris

Amazon

Eng Manager

Berlin

Stripe

Staff Engineer

Amsterdam

Netflix

Product Lead

Madrid

You don't apply. You appear.

Click through how ReferPool works in 7 steps:

Step 1

You discover available PeerScreens

Browse companies and roles you're interested in

🔍 Backend Engineering roles

Stripe

12 PeerScreens available

START →

Sarah Chen

Engineering Manager • 8y exp.

Notion

8 PeerScreens available

Michael Park

Sr. Backend Eng. • 6y exp.

Figma

5 PeerScreens available

Emma Wilson

Staff Engineer • 10y exp.

No applications. Just start a PeerScreen for companies you like.

Why PeerScreen is a game changer

What employees think

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Engineer at TechCo

Could this hurt my reputation?

What if they lied?

How do I know their skills?

Will my time be wasted?

Employees don't avoid referrals.
They avoid risk.

Employees are keen to refer - not only are they keen to help but they might earn a referral bonus. They might even be looking for a referral themselves.

But - they are hesitant to refer the wrong candidate because it might affect their reputation.

PeerScreen gives them clarity, structure and confidence before putting their name behind someone.

It provides justification to them (and their company) why they referred you for a role.

Even if a referral doesn't happen, PeerScreen leads to feedback, professional network growth and future opportunities.

While you wait, you're already in play

Your profile doesn't sit in a folder. It's actively circulating across employee networks anonymously, being shared internally and building momentum - even when you don't see it.

Your network grows when you show your skills.

PeerScreens build trust, naturally leading to quality referrals.

👤

You

Stripe

Notion

Figma

Linear

Amazon

Shopify

Silence here is progress. Your network is compounding.

The by-product of quality networking: Quality Referrals

As employees at 6 companies see your PeerScreens, trust builds naturally. When roles open, they confidentally refer you - not just because you asked, but because they know your're a good match.

Without ReferPool

Applying to jobs flooded with hundreds of candidates

(c.300+ per vacancy, how do you stand out?)

Never hearing back from job applications

(Ghosting and no-feedback is considered as the norm)

Competing with AI-generated resumes

(Anyone can create an AI polished CV/resume)

Only finding roles when they're already public

(Employees hesitant to refer unvetted candidates)

With ReferPool

Get discovered before jobs are even posted

Build connections with employees at dream companies

Stand out through PeerScreens, not just a CV

Access the pre-vacancy job market

Get real feedback from industry professionals, not AI rejections

Skip the 500+ application grind and get direct access

Recent comment from an early access user:

“Even if a referral doesn't happen when expected, my professional network continues to grow until the next opening surfaces.”

J. P. Doherty, Financial Analyst, Boston, MA

A better way than job boards or recruiters

Built around employee referrals, not applications.

ReferPool

Recruiters

Job Boards / LinkedIn

How you're discovered

Discovered by employees inside companies you care about.

Pitched to roles that suit their paying clients.

You search. You apply. You hope.

Signal quality

PeerScreens show real intent, not keyword matches.

CV-led filtering, often rushed.

Anyone can apply. Noise is unavoidable.

Speed

Considered before roles reach job boards.

Depends on timing, incentives, and workload.

Late to the process by default.

Feedback

Structured PeerScreen feedback from insiders.

Sometimes. Often limited.

Usually none.

Effort required

Complete a PeerScreen once. Stay visible.

Repeated calls. Re-explaining your story.

Endless applications and follow-ups.

Trust & privacy

Anonymous until you choose to connect.

Your CV is shared widely.

Public by default.

Cost to you

Free to join. Optional small verification fee if other options not suitable.

Free, but expensive for employers.

Costs time and attention.

How you're discovered

ReferPool

Discovered by employees inside companies you care about.

Recruiters

Pitched to roles that suit their paying clients.

Job Boards / LinkedIn

You search. You apply. You hope.

Signal quality

ReferPool

PeerScreens show real intent, not keyword matches.

Recruiters

CV-led filtering, often rushed.

Job Boards / LinkedIn

Anyone can apply. Noise is unavoidable.

Speed

ReferPool

Considered before roles reach job boards.

Recruiters

Depends on timing, incentives, and workload.

Job Boards / LinkedIn

Late to the process by default.

Feedback

ReferPool

Structured PeerScreen feedback from insiders.

Recruiters

Sometimes. Often limited.

Job Boards / LinkedIn

Usually none.

Effort required

ReferPool

Complete a PeerScreen once. Stay visible.

Recruiters

Repeated calls. Re-explaining your story.

Job Boards / LinkedIn

Endless applications and follow-ups.

Trust & privacy

ReferPool

Anonymous until you choose to connect.

Recruiters

Your CV is shared widely.

Job Boards / LinkedIn

Public by default.

Cost to you

ReferPool

Free to join. Optional small verification fee if other options not suitable.

Recruiters

Free, but expensive for employers.

Job Boards / LinkedIn

Costs time and attention.

ReferPool doesn't replace everything - it replaces the part that's broken.

Frequently asked questions

ReferPool is a peer-to-peer referral platform that helps job seekers connect with verified employees inside companies - before roles hit job boards. Instead of cold applications, connections happen through real employees using a short PeerScreen to assess fit and intent.

Job boards and LinkedIn are crowded, noisy, and reactive. ReferPool is proactive and private. You're discovered by employees first - not recruiters or algorithms - and connections happen through referrals and structured screening, not mass applications.

Yes. ReferPool is completely free for correctly verified users.

No. ReferPool is not a recruiter, agency, or middleman. We don't represent employers, sell candidates, or push roles. We simply enable trusted, employee-led referrals.

Because modern referrals aren't about personal favours - they're about signal, trust and efficiency.

Employees refer through ReferPool for a few common reasons:

1. To help their company hire better (and faster)

Many teams are overwhelmed by hundreds of AI-polished applications that are hard to differentiate. PeerScreens let employees filter for real thinking, communication and motivation before candidates ever reach the hiring manager - saving time and reducing hiring risk.

2. To line up strong replacements when they're moving on

Employees who are considering a move - or already working their notice period - often want to leave their team in a good place. Referring high-quality, pre-screened candidates allows for a smoother handover and protects their reputation internally.

3. To earn referral bonuses without risking their reputation.

Referral schemes can be generous, but blind referrals are risky. PeerScreen acts as a trust layer, helping employees refer only candidates who meet their standards. Even companies without formal referral schemes often introduce them once they see the cost savings and hiring improvements compared to recruiters and job boards.

Employees aren't vouching blindly - they're screening intelligently, staying anonymous and only passing forward candidates they'd genuinely be comfortable working with.

PeerScreen turns referrals from "who do I know?" into "who's actually a strong fit?"

No. Most opportunities on ReferPool don't start as applications. You connect with employees first and may be invited to consider roles - sometimes before they're publicly advertised.

A PeerScreen is a short, role-specific screening created by an employee. It replaces CV filtering with questions that reflect what actually matters in the role and company.

Yes. If an employee has a PeerScreen, completing it is how you connect. This keeps the platform respectful of employees' time and focused on serious candidates.

No. You are anonymous by default. Your name, contact details, and CV remain hidden unless you choose to share them or an employee forwards you.

Yes. Many users aren't actively applying. ReferPool is designed for private exploration without alerting employers, recruiters, or LinkedIn networks.

Yes. Even without a referral, PeerScreens often lead to meaningful feedback, role clarity, and better preparation for future opportunities.

For employees, "Verified" means their employment has been confirmed via a work email. For job seekers, verification may apply per opportunity (for example, to unlock a specific PeerScreen), not platform-wide visibility.

Employee verification via work email; PeerScreens instead of open messaging; optional verification at key moments; and no cold messaging or public inboxes. This keeps the platform high-trust and low-noise.

Yes. Students and recent graduates can connect with employees via PeerScreens and open doors for first employment and graduate internships.

In some cases, yes - usually via a university email. This helps maintain trust and relevance for early-career opportunities.

PeerScreens focus on potential, motivation, and alignment - not just years of experience. This often works better than CV filtering for early-career roles.

Yes. Industry data consistently shows:

•10x higher response rate than cold applications
•40% of all hires come from referrals (despite being only 7% of applicants)
•2-3 weeks faster time-to-hire on average
•4x higher retention rate after first year

ReferPool is built entirely around this reality.

Some users connect within days. Others build relationships over weeks. Unlike job boards, ReferPool compounds over time as your network grows.

ReferPool is for people who value: trust over volume, referrals over applications, and conversations over cold outreach. It is not for mass applying, spam outreach, or shortcutting hiring standards. ReferPool is peer-to-peer focused and is not suitable for middle agents or advisors such as agency recruiters or career coaches.

Please send your question(s) in to us using the Contact link below, we usually reply within 48 hours.

Stop applying late.
Start showing up early.

Your network should work before the job exists.

Be on the radar beforejobs appear.

Open [the right] doors before you've even knockedReferPool at work:

Get on the radar

Show your intent

Get referred (or real feedback)

Get on the radar

Show your intent

Get referred (or real feedback)

We're not trying to kill job boards- they're dead already

Fake jobs & ghosting

AI - flooded vacancies

No human context

Be on the radar of employees at your target companies

Click through how ReferPool works in 7 steps:

You discover available PeerScreens

Why PeerScreen is a game changer

What employees think

Employees don't avoid referrals.They avoid risk.

While you wait, you're already in play

Your network grows when you show your skills.

The by-product of quality networking: Quality Referrals

Without ReferPool

With ReferPool

“Even if a referral doesn't happen when expected, my professional network continues to grow until the next opening surfaces.”

A better way than job boards or recruiters

How you're discovered

Signal quality

Speed

Feedback

Effort required

Trust & privacy

Cost to you

Frequently asked questions

Stop applying late.Start showing up early.

Be on the radar before
jobs appear.

Open [the right] doors before you've even knocked
ReferPool at work:

We're not trying to kill job boards
- they're dead already

Employees don't avoid referrals.
They avoid risk.

Stop applying late.
Start showing up early.