5 Easy Tricks to Find a Job in the Hidden Job Market

Did you know that 80 to 85% of jobs are never advertised to the public and 75 to 80% of job opportunities are never listed online? Job seekers who are relying solely on job boards to find work are missing out big time!

Hidden jobs can be hard to find but there are tricks to finding jobs whether they are listed publicly or not. Here are some ways to really penetrate the hidden job market – and find that perfect role!

1. Networking

   Networking should be part of your regular routine rather than a strategy to use when you’re job hunting. Being part of network groups in your industry increases your chances of hearing about job opportunities.

   A good rule of thumb to help you grow your network is to set a goal and milestones to reach this. For example, your goal may be to expand your network to 100 connections by the end of the year and meet up with at least 1 connection each month. So set up your LinkedIn profile, connect with former colleagues and join some industry groups to stay in the loop.

   Let your networks know that you’re looking for work in a particular field and that you’re open to opportunities and referrals. Advertising jobs is an expensive and time-consuming process so employers often approach their networks first and rely on referrals to find the right person.

2. Cold-Calling

   One of the most effective ways to job hunt – yet at the same time, many job seekers put it in the “too hard” basket and don’t even try. This involves picking up the phone and contacting companies directly and asking them about any job openings.

   Cold-calling can be daunting at first, you’ll get knocked back by a lot of people you call. But most people react well and tend to offer encouragement and further information if you’re polite. If you can get good at this, you’ll be sure you’re on the right track to success!

3. Get Google-Alerts about jobs you want

   One of the fastest ways to get notified about jobs available at prospective employers is to sign up for google alerts. It allows you to monitor and get notified about job vacancies as soon as they are posted online. All you need to do is sign up here Google Alerts and add keywords of interest (like job title or industry) and you’ll start getting daily emails.

   Tip: When you get in touch with your prospective employer, let them know you set up a google alert so you could be first to respond – this shows that you have initiative and can think outside the box, both of which are desirable traits to have.

4. Learn your target employer’s hiring process inside out

   Make a list of all your prospective employers and research their hiring processes. Learn when they typically hire part-time, full-time or seasonal employees, and contractors. Mark these dates in your diary and set yourself reminders to prepare for these. Present yourself to these companies by contacting them directly a week or two prior to these dates. You don’t want to ring them during or after they’ve already received an influx of candidates.

5. Go directly to the company’s ‘careers’ page

   Many companies only post job opportunities on their website and never list their jobs anywhere else. While it seems impractical to jump on the company’s websites daily to discover job opportunities, this sometimes may well be the best method if all of the above suggestions don’t work for you.

Tapping into the hidden job market can improve your chances of getting hired as you’re competing against fewer people. Additionally, by contacting employers directly, it gives them the impression that you think they’re an ideal employer and you have a strong interest in working for them.

Check out our Job Seeker Toolkit for more information and tools including, top tips for getting a job, links to job search websites, resume writing skills and more.

You might also like our blog post How to make a Career Plan in 5 Simple Steps.