You need friends in high places.
Referrals are critically important when searching for a new job. Referred candidates are hired over their non-referred counterparts about two out of three times. But your referral becomes even more valuable the higher they are within the company. If your reference is working in an entry-level position, your chance of being offered the job is around 53%, but if you can secure a reference from someone in a director-level position or higher, those odds skyrocket to nearly 91%. If you’re applying with a company and have a few references to choose from, always choose your higher-ranking acquaintance.