First of all, pat yourself on the back and take a moment to appreciate what you’ve achieved. You’ve worked for this moment for the last 17 (or more) years. Now’s the time for all that hard work to pay off, right?

Well, maybe not so fast.

Unlike what the movies and college catalogues might suggest, the future is rarely cut and dry. Perhaps that goal you’ve been working towards for the past four years seems somewhat less certain now. Maybe you’re having second thoughts about your chosen career. Or perhaps you’re unsure of how to parlay your degree into a specific job.

It’s very possible you have no idea what you want to be when you grow up. And even if you do, this job market provides no guarantees that your chosen job will easily find you.

Things aren’t all doom and gloom, though. Good things come to those who are flexible, ready and open-minded. Before you jump to the next chapter, pause to survey where you’ve been, where you are and where you’re going.

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Contrary to what some job seekers think, not all employers and recruiters have vast databases of resumes they can pull up at anytime to find a qualified candidate to fill an open position. They don’t have hours of free time to spend interviewing three, four, five candidates for one job. And they don’t have a chance to meet with every person who wants their help in finding a job. Let’s face it – recruiters, hiring managers and HR professionals are busy, most wearing many hats and taking on many different challenges throughout the day.

One of them is hiring. And to make that task less of a challenge, employee referral programs can be put in place to help reduce the burden of finding top talent by encouraging employees to recommend their company as a great place to work and advance their career to friends, family and anyone in their professional network. In fact, studies have shown referred employees have higher retention rates and increase employee engagement within a company.

That being said, what are some ways an employer can implement an employee referral program? What can be done to get employees to brand the company as a great place to work? And then, how can these employees who do provide the referrals be rewarded and recognized, especially if money is tight (and when isn’t money tight?).

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Employee perks certainly have changed over the years. Years ago free tickets to the big game, gift certificates to the hot new restaurant in town or an expense-paid trip to somewhere tropical to the employee of the year were among the methods used by employers to reward and recognize top employees.

Today some of top employee perks include on-site physical therapy and acupuncture at Cisco Systems, free food (along with bocce courts and a bowling alley) at Google, an indoor rock climbing wall and free scuba diving certification classes for employees of Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Employee perks can be a great recruiting and retention tool, especially when monetary bonuses or salary increases are not always an option. It’s also a way an employer shows they value their employees, says Tina Fox, Branch Manager of Accountemps in La Jolla, Calif.

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