Imagine working at a great company — you’re happy with the projects, the team, and the atmosphere. Now picture recommending a friend who’s looking for new opportunities — and getting a bonus for it. That’s exactly how a referral program works: a win-win-win model where the company, the employee, and the candidate all benefit. At N‑iX, referrals aren’t just a formality — they’re one of the company’s main hiring channels.
In today’s tech world, personal recommendations often carry more weight than cold outreach. People know who they’ve worked well with, who would thrive in a specific team, and who’s ready for a new challenge. That’s where referrals become a simple yet powerful tool.
At N‑iX, the program has long proven its value — helping build stronger teams faster, with fewer risks. Add in a transparent process, user-friendly system, and regular feedback, and it’s clear why both employees and candidates find it easy and effective.
In this article, we won’t give you dry instructions. Instead, we’ll share real stories from N‑iX team members who’ve already used the referral program — why they did it, how it worked, and why you should give it a try too.
How the Referral Program Works at N‑iX
The referral process at N‑iX is designed to be simple, clear, and user-friendly. Any employee who wants to recommend a candidate for an open position follows a few straightforward steps:
1. Find a relevant role. Employees learn about open positions either through the job listings on the company’s website or directly from a line manager or HR partner.
2. Evaluate the fit. Before submitting a referral, it’s important to assess whether the person matches the project’s technical and soft skill requirements. Experienced team members usually have a good sense of this.
3. Submit the referral. On the N‑iX vacancies platform, there’s a “Refer a Friend” button. Employees select “I’m working at N‑iX,” upload the candidate’s CV, and fill in basic details.
4. Receive confirmation. An email notification confirms that the referral has been successfully submitted and is under review.
5. Track candidate progress. Referrers receive regular updates on the candidate’s status at each stage of the recruitment process.
6. Get the bonus. If the candidate passes all interview stages, accepts the offer, and completes the probation period, the employee receives a referral bonus.
This process is not only rewarding but also a meaningful way to shape the future of your team. And as many N‑iXers have shared, even when the bonus isn’t earned, there’s a strong sense of fulfillment in helping a talented person find their place in the company.
Real Stories: Experience from Three N‑iX Team Members
Serhii Fursenko, Software Engineer at N‑iX: “When everything aligned — the person, the project, and the timing”
Serhii isn’t just a software engineer — he’s also a team lead who deeply understands what a specific project needs from a candidate. His approach to referrals is thoughtful and deliberate: he never recommends “just friends,” but only trusted professionals he’s worked with before. For him, a referral is both a responsibility and a vote of confidence in someone’s skills.
In one case, everything lined up perfectly — the project had just opened, the skill requirements were clear, and one of Serhii’s former colleagues was actively looking for a new opportunity. He made the referral, and the result was a win all around: N‑iX got a strong developer, the candidate landed a great job, and the team welcomed a reliable new member.
“As a team lead, I have a good sense of what kind of hard and soft skills a project will require. That helps me decide who’s a good fit for a vacancy,” explains Serhii.
Even though not all of his referrals joined his own team (two out of three were placed on other projects), he’s convinced that referrals truly strengthen the company. When you work alongside people you already know and trust, it makes a difference:
“If a team has multiple people who’ve worked together before, it’s a huge boost. They can understand each other without saying a word.”
Yuliia Tutetska, HR Business Partner at N‑iX: “I joined N‑iX through a referral myself”
Yuliia’s story is unique — not only has she used the referral program to recommend others, but she also joined N‑iX through a referral. After noticing that a friend was already working at the company, she messaged him on LinkedIn, and by the next day, she had her first interview scheduled.
Her case clearly shows how referrals can shorten the path to a new job — opening doors quickly, especially when you’re unsure where to start. Sometimes, that small push makes all the difference.
After joining N‑iX, Yuliia recommended a former colleague — an Azure DevOps Engineer — and not by chance. As a former Head of HR, she was well aware of his performance and potential:
“I had no doubt he’d be a great performer at N‑iX as well.”
The submission process was intuitive: a quick click on the “Refer a Friend” button, confirming she worked at N‑iX, uploading a resume — done. What impressed her most was the consistent communication: she always knew what stage her referral was at during the hiring process.
She also emphasizes one major advantage for candidates: referrals ensure that their resumes get seen — avoiding keyword filters and giving even highly capable but unconventional applicants a real shot.
Kateryna Holubovych, Project Manager at N‑iX: “I want to help great candidates find the right project”
For Kateryna, the referral program is first and foremost a way to help talented professionals find projects that truly match their potential. She approaches referrals thoughtfully, recommending candidates based on her personal experience working with them. One of her referrals joined another project at N‑iX and, as she notes, is performing exceptionally well.
Kateryna describes the referral process as smooth and intuitive, with no unnecessary steps. The Greenhouse system makes it easy to track a candidate’s status, keeping her informed at every stage.
But what matters most to her is building teams based on trust. She firmly believes that working with people you already know leads to better collaboration.
Such teams communicate more efficiently, make faster decisions, and create a healthier, more productive work environment.
How Referrals Help Build Strong Teams
Why familiar faces boost productivity
One of the most powerful outcomes of a referral program is the ability to build teams rooted in trust. When people who’ve already worked together on past projects join the same team again, it significantly reduces the time needed to align communication styles and workflows.
Serhii puts it simply:
“They can understand each other without saying a word and share the same work approaches. That definitely improves team performance.”
These teams make decisions faster, experience fewer conflicts, and work more cohesively. That’s especially valuable in agile environments, where speed and alignment are essential.
Another benefit is shared culture. When professionals from the same “school of thought” collaborate, they tend to have similar expectations, standards, and work ethics — all of which raise the bar for quality and give the team a competitive edge.
Trust and unspoken understanding
Kateryna Holubovych shares that working with people you already know makes everything easier — not just in terms of productivity, but also emotional comfort:
“There’s trust and mutual understanding between us,” she says.
This trust becomes especially important in high-pressure situations — when deadlines are tight or clients expect quick responses. In those moments, a team built on mutual confidence acts like a safety net, enabling everyone to move faster and more decisively.
What’s more, such connections often lead to stronger loyalty. People who work with familiar colleagues tend to stay longer — not just for the project, but for the work environment they genuinely enjoy.
Best Practices: Tips from N‑iX Team Members
How to choose the right candidate with a good technical fit
Submitting a referral isn’t just about passing along a friend’s resume — it’s a conscious, responsible decision. When you refer someone, you’re vouching for them, which means you’re taking on a certain level of responsibility toward your company and your team. That’s why those who use the N‑iX referral program successfully always approach it with care and intention.
Serhii Fursenko notes that, as a team lead, it’s easier for him to evaluate the needs of a project. He knows exactly which hard and soft skills are required — and uses that insight to identify the best fit.
Tips for effective referrals:
1. Evaluate the actual needs of the project — talk to the hiring manager if needed.
2. Ask yourself: Would I want to work with this person again?
3. Make sure the candidate understands what the role entails and is aligned with the seniority and expectations.
Following these steps helps reduce risks and increases the chances of a great match — both for the candidate and the team.
When Everyone Wins
The referral program at N‑iX is more than just a way to earn a bonus. It’s a tool that helps build strong teams, foster trust within the company, and support talented people in finding better opportunities. With its simple process, transparent communication, and the personal responsibility taken by those who refer, this initiative has become a powerful driver of company growth.
The stories of Serhii, Yuliia, and Kateryna prove that referrals work best when they come from a genuine desire to help — not just from filling out a form. If you haven’t used this opportunity yet, now might be the perfect time to share it with someone who’s ready for their next step. And win together.
You can explore all current N‑iX vacancies here.
About N-iX
N-iX is a global software development service company that helps businesses across the globe expand their engineering capabilities and develop successful software products. With more than 2,400 professionals and over two decades of experience, N-iX offers expert solutions in software engineering, cloud, data analytics, embedded software, IoT, machine learning, and other tech domains covering a wide variety of sectors, including finance, manufacturing, telecom, supply chain, and retail, to name a few.
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