If you’ve been diligently responding to online job listings, sending out dozens (or hundreds) of resumes with no results, don’t take it personally.
While those may be easier words to read than to follow, the real reason you’re not getting responses to all those resumes could be that you’re applying for job listings that a) don’t exist; b) are getting an overwhelming number of responses; or c) have already been filled.
The hidden job market can be a job seeker’s treasure trove. The more you uncover these hidden opportunities, the greater your chances of landing your dream job.
What Is the Hidden Job Market?
Opportunities that come up in what’s known as the hidden job market aren’t lurking around in some sort of underworld or black market. Instead, they’re intentionally less visible than jobs advertised in the online job boards.
The hidden job market generally refers to positions that are filled through networking, social media and personal referrals.
Employers may choose to fill vacant positions through the hidden job market rather than by publicly posting them online for a variety of reasons:
When a company posts a job listing, the response is usually overwhelming. By choosing not to use one of the major online job boards, companies can reduce the amount of time and energy that could be wasted sifting through resumes, especially from unqualified candidates.
If a company is planning to replace an underperforming employee, they might not want to post the position online. A budget-conscious company might try to avoid paying fees.
One hiring manager we know says she turns to social media rather than online job boards when looking for candidates because she’s able to reach people she or her contacts might know as well as people who’ve expressed interest in the company. Many companies offer an employee referral bonus for similar reasons. Knowing a candidate (or knowing someone who knows the candidate), helps prescreen them.
6 Ways to Tap the Hidden Job Market
1. Network, network, network.
Orville Pierson, author of The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search, asserts that if you’re in contact with 20-25 hiring managers, building relationships, and exploring how you can help each other, within a few weeks, someone will have (or know of) an opening. The key to nurturing these professional connections is focusing on the relationship, and how you can help each other, rather than asking for a job.
Don’t think your professional network is big enough? Think again, according to Bob Berg, author of Endless Referrals. He finds that when you consider neighbors, community center members, relatives, friends, the crossing guard and other people who share a common bond, each person’s network likely includes 250 people.
If you think of your networks as rings, where the first ring includes people closest to you like family and close friends, it’s best to tap into the second ring of connections. While they might be a little more distant from you, they are likely to have different connections than you, helping to expand your network. You can help people help you by creating a job search handbill, which neatly summarizes who you are, what you do and the kinds of introductions you’re seeking.
Communicate with your network regularly, not just when you’re looking for a job. Remember that your network is made up of people. Engage in conversations, both online and off. Congratulate them on new jobs and work anniversaries, and comment on their social media posts.
Networking isn’t the slimy, pushy monster many assume. When you network, you’re not asking for a job. You’re not asking for anything; you’re simply talking to people, building relationships one conversation at a time, seeing how you can help each other find your way in the world. In the process, you’re opening the door to a wider hidden job market.
2. Create a target list of companies.
What companies intrigue you? Where would you love to work? One of the best ways to get a foot in the door, and to determine if a company culture is a good fit for you, is to have conversations with people who work (or used to work) there.
A quick search on LinkedIn can provide you with names of people to talk with who can provide you with firsthand insights about what it’s like to work for that company. Depending on their experience, they might also be willing to make an introduction on your behalf.
Related: Cracking the Code on Company Culture
One of our clients, a recent college graduate, had been applying to 10 jobs a day online. Her parent insisted that she keep at it until she found a job. Every day, she applied to 10 jobs. Every day, she was disappointed by a lack of response.
When she came to us for coaching, she was, understandably frustrated. We recommended that she add depth to her job search by spending only 30% of her time applying online and employing other strategies to build her professional network. She created a list of target companies and began reaching out to people at those companies. Within months, she landed the job of her dreams.
You can do the same. And we can help. At Life Working®, we offer a variety of strategies and resources (including email templates to use, depending on your degree of familiarity with people) to make the networking process easier and more effective. Contact us to learn more.
3. Connect with professional organizations.
Research organizations in your field of interest. See if they offer any complimentary events or webinars you can attend. Who are the thought leaders in your industry? See who’s presenting at these gatherings. Listen to their presentations and then take it a step further by reaching out to them. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple “I learned so much from your presentation; thank you” message to establish a connection.
When a client we recently worked with decided to make a career shift and become a corporate learning and development manager, we suggested that he reach out to the Association for Talent Development (td.org) to have a conversation with the local chapter president or membership chairperson.
By engaging in these career research conversations, he learned more about what it’s like to be a talent performance manager from people with firsthand experience. Most of the people he spoke with were willing to provide him with names of other professionals to contact.
One by one, these conversations helped him expand his professional network and, ultimately, find a job as a corporate trainer through the hidden job market. It was a win-win situation; once he got a job in the field, the association gained an engaged member!
4. Use social media to stay connected.
Twitter and LinkedIn can be particularly helpful for keeping up with news and developments in your industry and at your target companies. Pay particular attention to promotions, mergers, acquisitions, and the launch of new products or services. Any of these circumstances could spark the need to hire additional employees.
Many companies tweet or post their job openings to their followers before listing them on any of the online job boards.
Social media can also provide you with opportunities to engage with people in your industry and target companies. Like and comment on their posts. Doing so can plant the seeds for a relationship and will also help increase your visibility to others.
Join LinkedIn groups which afford you access to an even greater number of people in your industry. (A little-known tip: You can email people in your LinkedIn groups for free even if you aren’t yet personally connected.)
5. Volunteer.
Volunteering can be a great way to learn more about (and gain experience and exposure in) an industry or organization, especially when you’re a recent graduate or interested in making a career change.
It can also be a wonderful way to meet people who share a commitment to a common cause. Many of the people you meet might otherwise be outside of your normal sphere, providing you with organic ways to expand your personal and professional network.
6. Take the “no-for-now” approach if you don’t get the job.
Let’s say you apply for a position, are invited to interview, but don’t get the job. There could be any number of reasons you weren’t chosen. Maybe another candidate was more experienced or a slightly better fit. Maybe the owner’s brother-in-law applied for the job. Maybe the company enacted a hiring freeze.
Even though you might be disappointed, resist the urge to write off the company for good. If you get a rejection letter or email, respond to it. Tell the hiring manager how much you appreciated their time and enjoyed meeting them and others in the company. Reiterate your interest in working for them should another opportunity arise.
By handling a rejection with grace, and demonstrating sincere interest in the company, you’ve planted the seeds for a relationship. In a sense, you’re creating a sort of hidden job market. The next time a position becomes available, hopefully you’ll spring to mind!
Be Ready to Respond
Whether you’re actively involved in a job search or contemplating making a career move, your job-seeker’s toolbox should allow you to quickly spring into action when you hear about a position of interest.
Your LinkedIn profile is usually the first place a person looks when someone gives them your name. Is yours up to date? Do your headline and summary clearly describe who you are and what you do? When was your profile picture taken?
Be resume-ready! Your resume is one of your most important branding assets; it should always clearly and powerfully reflect the value you can offer a future employer. People rarely think about updating their resume until they learn of a job opportunity, and scramble to add details about their current position. By keeping your resume up to date, you’ll always be prepared for new opportunities as they arise in the hidden job market.
A sound strategy is the foundation of a successful job search.
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