I agree with you RE: the salary price being a factor, but I think what I&#x27;m saying is, there&#x27;s a lot of companies perpetually hiring good candidates - even if they don&#x27;t have a desperate need for one enough to be actively recruiting.  Employee referrals from good developers are often some of the easiest good hires you can find, and when they fall into your lap if you can afford them, and they fit in, you jump on it.  There&#x27;s a reason so many companies offer referral bonuses.  It&#x27;s downright cheap to give a dev 5K to refer his friend&#x2F;former coworker compared to paying 18-22% in recruiting fees for a higher risk hire.