A new survey finds that 71% of hiring managers say that employee referrals are their best source for finding job candidates. But only seven percent of job seekers reported asking for referrals as a top strategy for landing a position. People may not ask for a referral because it feels like a huge favor. But unless you are spectacularly incompetent, you are not asking anyone to go way out on a limb. “Companies want people that are referred,” says Rich Milgram, founder of Beyond.com.