[tyingq]

There's two kinds of referrals...the official ones with a program that goes through HR, then the unofficial where someone you know knows a hiring leader with an open spot. The latter is infinitely better.

[Clubber]

This. Referrals don't mean much at a company with a heavy, rigid bureaucracy. You still have to go through the machine.

[fallingknife]

But usually in my experience they do mean you actually get to go through the machine and aren't just auto rejected without even getting to talk to a human.

[toasted-subs]

Anecdotally, providing references for one organization seems to open doors for others.