Having someone that already works in the company add you to the applicant pool. Most companies have differing level of referrals, including "network" which just

Having someone that already works in the company add you to the applicant pool. Most companies have differing level of referrals, including "network" which just means it's someone that you vaguely know but never worked with (or a friend of a friend). Sometimes there's a bonus attached if the person is hired and stays for some period, though those are somewhat falling out of favor due to the perverse incentive. The main benefit is just ensuring that a recruiter / hiring manager actually looks at the candidate, so it's really just a portal to ensuring a real recruiter screen.