Yes. My job has a competitive referral bonus, so I am aggressive about finding people to refer. Most don't get hired, but those that do are a win-win.
(If you don’t care, feel free to ignore. That’s grosser though).
And I'm not sure what you mean by unwitting in this context. I'm not tricking them into giving away a kidney. All jobs have referral bonuses. Does it somehow become grosser because this is the only job where the bonus has been big enough for me to care?
Please explain your rationale.
"Hey, can I see your resume, I just want to have one to look at?"
"Oh hey, my boss wants to talk to you, and maybe a couple more people too, can you show up at the office all day?"
"Don't worry, it's not a big deal, but can you maybe drive me to and from work every day, and to save gas, maybe you should stay at the office; you better tell your employer you won't be making it in anymore"
"Oh, can I have your bank account info to pay you for gas?"
"Hey, since you're here, can you work on this list of todos?"
"Oh oops, I deposited a salary instead of gas money"
It feels like a kind thing to do when you’re being given money for little more than an email. It’s a win-win for both parties.
Conversely, I wouldn’t expect a signing bonus for the new hire to be shared, so take that as you will.
No. I don't understand why they would have any claim on it. Typically when I interview, I'm looking forward to my potential salary. It wouldn't occur to me to try and take someone else's bonus.
> It’s a win-win for both parties.
It's not a win for me if I have to give away half of a bonus I earned. Or are you saying that a competitive salary isn't enough of a win for the referee?
I'm curious, how many times have you personally been involved in a transaction like this? You've given away referral bonuses? People have given their bonuses to you?