The Hidden Jobs

The Hidden Jobs Youve heard the term, The Hidden Job Market. But why does it exist and how can you tap into these hidden jobs? The Hidden Job market refers to jobs that are available but havent been  posted or advertised. Why in the world would a company NOT advertise a job opening? Simple. Because the employer becomes inundated with emails and phone calls and all the work associated with  processing applications. Yes, applicant tracking systems have helped with some of this, but the process of filling a job is a royal pain for most organizations. So it is easier to distribute the opening internally and have employees help by referring their friends and/or family. This serves as a way of pre-vetting candidates. Another reason is an organization may not publicize an opening is because they plan to replace someone but this employee doesnt  know they will be replaced/fired. If you dont like this of feel it isnt fair, you should know, its been going on forever. When was the last time you saw a CEO job posted online? How  Jobs Get Filled Heres the iceberg analogy. The visible part of the iceberg, the part above water, is much smaller than the section under the waterline, right? The Hidden Job Market So when you think about  the hidden job market, think about the jobs that are under water.  The vast majority of jobs are filled through word of mouth or though unadvertised channels.  Jobs in  the hidden job market (under the water line) are filled when a manager hires someone they know, someone an employee knows or someone who comes referred. You can learn more about why referrals are the best hiring method by reading  7 Things You Must Know About Getting Referred for a Job. The Traditional Job Market The visible portion of the iceberg represents the publicly posted/shared job listing and this is much smaller. Think about all the ways a job is advertised: It can get posted  on the company career page and shared through social media (free). It can be posted  on job boards. (This can cost some big money, depending on the board.) 3rd party recruiters or employment services may be contacted to  help fill the job, especially if the job requires special skills. How long do you think the manager knew about the opening before going to HR.   And then how long did it take  HR to begin publicizing/advertising the job. Weeks or months could go by without the job being promoted, and yet, it was available and people inside the organization knew about the vacancy. Yes, some companies must post a job opening, however, that doesnt mean they actually have to interview everyone who applies. From the time the manager knew about the vacancy, he/she has  probably been talking about the opening and previewing candidates who informally come forward . This means that by the time the job is finally posted, a candidate may already been selected. How To Tap Into The Hidden Job Market The million dollar question is, how do you tap into this hidden job market? It should be clear to you by now. You network. In other words, you want to uncover the hidden jobs by talking with people who work inside companies where there may be an opening that hasnt been advertised. If you are not networked before, theres just one rule you need to follow. You never ask for a job. You are gathering information to help you make an informed career move. Learn more about the rules of networking  5 Networking Tips To Help You Do It Better Network Strategically So, youve begun networking- meeting all sorts of people but you arent getting any leads and it feels like a waste of time. You need focus and you need a strategy to organize your networking efforts. Start With Who You Know First, identify everyone you know. Make a list. You can export your LinkedIn contacts to an Excel spreadsheet to get started. Heres a resource to help you brainstorm all the different types of people you should be networking with. Read this  Who Are the “Right” People to Meet? Advance To Who Youd Like To Know The next step is to create a list of companies you would like to work for or companies you find interesting. Now, go to LinkedIn and see who you know who works in each of those companies. These are people will become valuable resources. They know about the company and will be the first to hear about new opportunities. Nurture Your Network It isnt enough to meet someone once and expect theyll remember you in a couple of weeks or months. It is your responsibility to nurture your network and find ways to  keep in touch once youve met them so they dont forget about you. Put Your Plan On Paper You need a plan to guide your job search activities. Every new company or product uses a marketing plan. You should too. Heres why your job search needs focus: So that people you  network with can help you  and provide  job leads that you are interested in. You cant find a job if you dont know what you are looking for. It will keep you motivated and proactively searching. Learn how to create your marketing plan Your Marketing Plan Cool Tool Looking for a tool to help you find jobs that may only be posted on a companys career page? LinkUp is a search engine for jobs it pulls from company websites, not the boards.