Content Delivery Firm Prizes Employee Referrals

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Edgecast, a tech company in Santa Monica, has been struggling to find good job candidates. Will the promise of a new kitchen change that?

It’s been so tough to find the right people for the now 60 open spots that Edgecast has doubled down on its employee referral program.

Previously, if an Edgecast employee referred a candidate who made it all the way to an in-person interview, that employee was entered in a year-end raffle for a dream vacation – all on the company’s dime.

The company has since upped the ante and now offers prizes like a remodeled kitchen or a motorcycle worth about $7,500. (That’s at least enough for a good used bike. Or maybe a Vespa). For employees whose referrals actually get hired, there’s an automatic bounty bonus as high as $2,000.

Edgecast handles delivery of digital content for media clients such as Yahoo and Tumblr, making sure that people can access their content.

In a city where the unemployment rate is still above 10 percent, it might be surprising to hear about companies laboring to fill open spots, but tech is a different story. Especially in Los Angeles, which is still working to solidify its reputation as a tech epicenter.

“That talent is not really pooled here. A lot is in the Bay Area and Boston.” said Anthony Citrano, vice president of marketing and communications at Edgecast. “But in Los Angeles I bet unemployment is close to zero in informational tech.”

We’ve written before about the lengths L.A. tech companies have gone to fill open spots; Santa Monica mobile gaming firm Scopely famously offered new recruits $11,000 worth of cash wrapped in bacon.

Citrano said Edgecast hasn’t resorted to food-adorned money to bring people to fill the vacancies. He hopes the lure of a new motorcycle or Viking-equipped kitchen or a dream vacation will be enough.

“Our corporate council is a bit worried about that motorcycle,” Citrano said. “But everyone always seems to take the vacation.”

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