Should I share a referral bonus with a friend I recommended?

[Minorie]

Posting here for traffic. My friend was out of work for 3 years and I managed to get her a role contracting at my company. If she gets made permanent, id be entitled to a referral bonus. Its been 2 years now and she may actually get a perm role. Do people then share it with the person or keep it for themselves?

Oksy, @windinthewillows2 , could your view be coloured by the fact that the guy was unforgivable in other ways? That isn’t relevant for OP.

@ChateauMargaux she was previously on 1000 a day but had to do cleaning for 12 an hour. She wasn’t broke as in had a home but no income. I’m going to go for a meal somewhere with her to celebrate if it happens!

No. Why?
I referred lots of people over my 30 year career and always shared the winnings. It's a win win.
But thanks for your opinion.

I was freelance for almost 4 years at one company. Offered a perm job with the company on a number of occasions because they were very pleased with my work but the hourly rate equivalent would have been considerably less for me and at the time I was chasing the money rather than the benefits and potential security.

You get a number of benefits including parity pay at 13 weeks and also additional employment rights at two years, this is why sadly some companies will get rid of contingent workers at the eleventh hour.

Its yours to keep. But I would choose to share it

Definitely share it. It wasn't earned just by you. She put years of work in.

Lol, no

What are you on @Minorie ?

To be clear…. She knows about the referral scheme and has absolutely no expectation of a share of it…. How do you know this? You have chatted about it with her?

Exactly this

You make out the company “only” hired her because they were “desperate”

but then go on to say that she was incredibly over qualified for it

No I wouldn’t share it. She got the job - that’s her reward.

100% she wouldn’t have got the job

but also

the company was desperate

and your friend is massively over qualified for the role.

You will only appreciate the role if you find it yourself

So presumably she doesn’t appreciate the role she’s in?

She wouldnt have gotten a job because of the current climate as she hasnt for several years. We needed someone quickly and I suggested her. Shes overqualified but paid as a junior. I know she feels the role is beneath her but the market has stalled due to AI so theres nothing out there. The company would have used an agency if needed.

I totally get her logic about people not being helped, much like relying on handouts, but the job market is hard and you have to use every contact I think.

She did say before that I should find out about a referral, but no hint of wanting for herself.

What do you mean she would not have got the job because of the “current climate”?

The company was “desperate”

You say that she knows and she doesn’t expect anything.

How did the conversation come up? You asked her if she expected anything and she said no?

You will only appreciate the role if you find it yourself.

so she’s obviously never been head hunted or gone through a recruitment agency 😆

I mean she was out of work for years due to the climate. There just isnt that demand for the level where its 1k a day contracting.

This role came up in my company where they wanted someone quickly at a low rate. They would have gone to an agency if needed.

She said I should find out about referrals for myself as I helped her but it was only for perm.

She means people can find a job themselves, including via agencies, but didnt believe in using contacts to help other people find jobs. She feels if you help others too much, then it makes them not use their initiative. Its very much one of those textbook things, help others to help themselves.

No as she got a job which she wouldn’t have otherwise!

Well it didn’t stop her! 😆

anyway, you have chatted with her about this bonus?

No way I’d share. Or expect it. It’s a referral fee - for the person who referred - saving the business the cost of using a recruitment agency and paying more. Don’t even mention it to your friend, it’s not her business.

She certainly sounds an interesting character.

Very highly qualified and able to command £1000 a day, but also unemployed for years and only able to get a job cleaning for friends for £10 an hour (tightwad “friends”!)

And has the staunch view that you’ll only value a job if you found it yourself (but a bit wooly when it comes to recruitment agencies and headhunted). So does she mean that she doesn’t “value” this job she’s doing?

@Tulipsayes shes great but has very black and white views. And the friends who gave work, didnt really help much with proper leads, only cleaning. I do believe this experience has deeply affected her (being out of work for several years) and im genuinely happy that this role may go perm. I know she appreciates the help as no one else tried. I was in a situation a while ago and needed some help (think interview prep) and she didnt help me. But I know this was because she wanted me to help myself and I got the job anyway. I think/hope now that she would help others who need help.

She is highly highly qualified but unemployed for years and the only job she could find is cleaning her mate’s bogs for a tenner an hour (seriously, I pay my cleaner £18 per hour and that’s nothing special) …. That is intriguing.

OP have you chatted about this with her?

I was in a situation a while ago and needed some help (think interview prep) and she didnt help me. But I know this was because she wanted me to help myself

this just gets weirder and weirder

so you’re quite new to the role?