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Candidate Source: Direct Referral, Public Referral, Non-Referral

Shows source badges for direct, public and non-referral applicants and what each label means in lists and reports.

Marcin Mazur avatar
Written by Marcin Mazur
Updated over a month ago

Jobref classifies every candidate by source. Knowing whether someone applied directly or via a referral link helps you understand which channels drive the best talent. There are three source types: Directly Applied, Referred Publicly, and Referred Directly.

1. Directly Applied

The candidate found your job ad on Jobref or another job board and applied without any referral link.

Example: Jane Doe visits the Jobref site, searches for “Senior Developer,” and clicks “Apply.” She did not use a referral URL.

2. Referred Publicly

The candidate used a public referral link shared widely (for example, posted on social media or a blog).

Example: John Smith clicks on a referral link in a public LinkedIn post made by one of your employees and submits his application.

3. Referred Directly

The candidate applied via a private referral link sent directly to them by an employee or contact.

Example: Maria Lee receives an email from a current employee containing her unique referral URL and uses it to apply.

Viewing Candidate Source in Jobref

“Candidates” Section under Your Job Ad

Sign in to Jobref, open the relevant job posting, and click on the “Candidates” tab. Each entry will display a color-coded label indicating whether the applicant came via Direct Application, Public Referral, or Direct Referral.

Email Alerts

Whenever a new application is submitted, Jobref automatically sends a notification to your company’s recruitment inbox. This email lists the applicant’s name, the role they applied for, and a tag showing their source.

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