We often get this question from TA teams:
“Should we really run a referral program for roles that require no experience?”
And the answer is — yes, absolutely.
Employee referrals are a powerhouse channel when it comes to hiring. They drive productivity, attract better-fit talent, and improve retention. Given the benefits on offer, it makes no sense to exclude any role type — not even entry-level or fresher positions — from your referral program.
Of course, managing an employee referral program for junior roles needs a slightly different approach. Without structure, these roles can flood your database with unqualified applications, making it hard for recruiters to process.
So, what’s the best way to manage referrals for inexperienced candidates?
Here are three best practices to follow.
Even if your company isn’t hiring freshers right now, it’s still a good idea to keep a placeholder job open for them.
Think of job titles like:
“Campus Hiring – Referral Pool”
“Internship Opportunities – Referral Only”
“Freshers – Future Opportunities”
This acts as a parking lot for junior candidates that your employees want to refer. It gives recruiters the flexibility to:
Manage large volumes of referrals efficiently
Consider these profiles during campus drives or ad-hoc fresher hiring
Avoid cluttering up unrelated job listings with mismatched applications
Having a dedicated space ensures the database stays clean, and recruiters stay sane.
Let’s be honest — you don’t need to attach a monetary reward to every referral, especially for entry-level roles.
Instead:
Thank employees personally
Recognize their contribution in team meetings or newsletters
Frame it as a social good: helping someone get their first job
One of our customers, NESS Technologies, ran a campaign with the theme:
“Help someone start their career. Have them owe you for life.”
The idea struck a chord. Within just three days, they were flooded with referrals across the company. It also gave them new ways to rethink their campus hiring strategy.
This is crucial.
When you open up referrals for freshers, let employees know up front that:
You’ll receive a high volume of applications
Not every profile can or will be processed
There may be delays or no updates depending on hiring demand
Setting expectations early avoids confusion, escalations, or disappointment later. It also helps employees appreciate the operational effort that goes into shortlisting candidates from a large, junior talent pool.
Clear communication builds trust in the program and ensures employees continue referring for the right reasons.
If your company believes in hiring top talent, don’t ignore the entry-level segment. Today’s freshers become tomorrow’s future leaders. Including them in your employee referral strategy just makes sense.
More importantly, building a structured and thoughtful process for freshers:
Reduces recruiter workload
Improves employee experience
Keeps your talent funnel warm, even for roles not open yet
If you’re looking to structure this efficiently, RippleHire can help.
We work with fast-growing enterprises to run high-performance referral programs that scale — even for campus hiring.
Book a demo and see how we help teams like yours design referral systems that work for all experience levels.
Q1. Should freshers be included in employee referral programs?
Yes. Referrals are a powerful hiring channel, even for entry-level roles. They improve candidate quality, engagement, and cultural fit.
Q2. How do you avoid a flood of irrelevant applications from freshers?
Create a dedicated “fresher/campus hiring” job listing. This allows recruiters to manage profiles separately without cluttering other open roles.
Q3. Is a referral bonus necessary for fresher hires?
Not always. Recognition, gratitude, and purpose-driven messaging (like helping a friend start their career) can be more effective motivators.
Q4. How do you set employee expectations for junior role referrals?
Be transparent. Let employees know about the high volume of applications, limited openings, and potential delays in feedback or updates.
Q5. Can including freshers in referral programs help in future hiring?
Absolutely. It creates a warm talent pool for upcoming roles, especially during campus drives or internships. It's a long-term investment in talent