The Private Referral Network

How Hootly Works

Connect job seekers with anonymous SaaS employees for warm internal referrals. No spam, no privacy loss, just better opportunities for everyone.

Why Internal Referrals Matter

Referrals aren't just better for candidates - they're better for companies too

8x

Higher Interview Rate

Referrals get 8x more interviews than cold applications

46%

Longer Retention

Nearly double LinkedIn or job board hires

70%

Quality Hires

Of all hires come from referrals at top companies

The Problem with Traditional Referrals

For Job Seekers
  • • Don't know anyone at target companies
  • • Cold LinkedIn messages get ignored
  • • Awkward to ask friends for favors
  • • No way to find willing referrers
For Employees
  • • Bombarded with LinkedIn requests
  • • Privacy concerns about public profiles
  • • Hard to assess candidate quality
  • • Risk reputation on unknown candidates

How Hootly Solves This

Private, structured, and effective referral matching

For Job Seekers

1

Browse Jobs with Scout Support

Find SaaS roles where verified employees are available to give referrals. Only see jobs with active scouts.

2

Submit Targeted Pitch

Write a 200-character pitch explaining why you're a great fit. Include your LinkedIn profile for scout review.

3

Get Direct Contact

When a scout is interested, they'll contact you directly via email. No platform middleman, just direct communication.

Receive Internal Referral

Scout submits your referral through their company's internal system. You get the referral bonus of higher interview chances.

For Talent Scouts

1

Browse Requests Anonymously

Review referral requests for your company completely privately. Your identity stays hidden until you choose to engage.

2

Assess Candidate Quality

Read candidate pitches and review LinkedIn profiles. Only engage with candidates you believe are strong fits.

3

Claim & Contact

Claim promising requests and reach out via email. Have a conversation to confirm fit before referring.

Submit Quality Referrals

Submit referrals through your company's system with confidence. Help great candidates while maintaining your reputation.

What Makes Hootly Different

Complete Privacy

Scouts remain completely anonymous until they choose to engage. No public profiles, no LinkedIn spam.

  • • Anonymous pseudonyms (Scout_Alpha_42)
  • • No real names until contact
  • • Private browsing of requests
Email-Only Contact

Simple, direct communication outside the platform. No complex messaging systems or notifications.

  • • Direct email communication
  • • No platform dependency
  • • Professional conversation flow
Verified Quality

All scouts are verified SaaS employees with 3+ years experience. Quality candidates, quality referrers.

  • • 3+ years experience required
  • • Company email verification
  • • Curated job opportunities