Are there informal hires in Big Tech?

Question

According to this blog:https://www.kalzumeus.com/2012/01/23/salary-negotiation/"You might think that desirable jobs at well-managed companies (Google, Microsoft, hot startup FooWithTheWhat.ly, etc) have layers and layers of bureaucratic scar tissue to ensure that their hiring will conform to established processes and that offers will not be given to candidates sourced by using informal networks and interpersonal connections. If you believe this, you have a dangerously incomplete mental model of how the world operates".Is this true? What are some of your experiences about this topic?

phendrenad2 · Accepted Answer

I have not found this to be true. Maybe at very small companies, if a rockstar employee says "my friend is also a rockstar", that will count for a lot, perhaps more than interviewer feedback.But larger or even medium companies? I don't think it happens.