If you’ve yet to find the perfect job, it’s maybe because it’s not posted anywhere. You might be thinking “how this is possible?”, but it’s actually something that’s practiced in today’s business climate and it’s called the “Hidden Job Market”. This consists of jobs that have never been posted on either job boards or the company’s own website. These positions are never get formally posted anywhere, yet accounts for up to 70+% of hiring activity in the US based on many credible estimates, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Why would employers choose not to advertise professional job openings using digital media that will spread the message to the masses? Many reasons exist including:
- The Employer needs to confidentially replace a non-performer: The employer needs to find and hire a replacement employee while the person is still working so confidentiality is of the essence.
- The Employer may be a Small Company and lacks the Resources to Post the Opening: Most jobs in the US are created by small companies and many times they don’t have the budget to use third party job sites or chose to hire through internal referrals, local contacts, industry associations and family, rather than through advertising.
- The Employer Wants to get Referrals Before/Instead of Advertising the Job Positions on the Internet and Getting Buried with Candidates, especially Unqualified Ones: Many companies are working hard to get referrals from current employees since these hires typically perform better and stay at the company longer. Some employers are now even paying hiring bonuses to the employee that referred the succesful hire .
- The Employer Uses Social Media or Other Non-Advertising Forms of Communication to Find Candidates: Twitter has become common for “tweeting” job openings. Do you follow your target companies’ Twitter feeds?
Job hunters need to realize that their next position isn’t necessarily posted anywhere and they’ll have to tap into the hidden job market if they’ll want to land a great job, even if they’re not actively looking for another position. So how do you tap into the hidden job market?
- Be a smarter networker: Just making a few new networking connections isn’t going to cut it if you want to really tap into the hidden job market. Instead, you’ll have the change the way you network and connect with those who have inside knowledge about unposted jobs. Make it a habit to always be networking and staying in touch with connections via email or LinkedIn. This will help build a genuine relationship with them. Then when you are looking for a job, check with your network and make sure to follow up with them with positions you’re looking for.
- Become a member of a professional networking group: If you really want to take networking even further, join a professional networking group, where eager participants are looking to share their knowledge and industry insight. They’ll meet regularly at various places around your area and can be a great place to find about new job openings. Meetup.com is a great resource to find these groups.
- Call the business directly: If you’re interested in a certain company, find the hiring manager there and introduce yourself. Follow up with an email, providing an explanation on your background and experience. You can even use LinkedIn to get an introduction from someone in your own network, which should spark their attention even more.
By utilizing these tips, you’ll propel yourself forward to find the right next step in your career even if it’s not posted anywhere!
My name is Mark Lauterbach, Founder of Jump UP the Ladder, a Job Search Coaching business. I have 20 years’ experience coaching others through their job search as well as having successfully navigated 7 job changes (5 times voluntarily and 2 times involuntarily) during my career. For 5 years, I also owned, ran and recruited daily at FPC of Fort Collins, a successful agency recruiting firm that I sold to one of his staff in 2013. I know how to plan and accelerated your job search success!
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