How to tap into the hidden job market

October 23, 3:50 PMJob Search ExaminerStephanie Lloyd

Previous Next

3 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Job Search Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

How can you find the hidden jobs?
Photo by gerlos

According to the U.S. Labor Department it now takes an average of 27.2 weeks – more than six months – to land a new job. This is up significantly from 19.1 weeks in September, 2008 and 16.7 weeks in September, 2007.

And that’s just the average. I know people who have been out of work for more than a year. A lot of people, actually.

Due to an overwhelming number of applicants many companies have cut back on advertising jobs online. Rather, they are relying on word of mouth and referrals to draw a more reasonable and manageable number of applicants. This requires more networking on the part of the job seeker, and tapping into people you don’t know well or even at all.

So how do you find these hidden jobs?

1. Reach out to everyone in your network—even people you haven’t spoken to in years. Bring them up to speed on your career progress and your current search. Be specific about what you are looking for so that they can actually help you. Saying that you’ll do anything or rattling off a list of ten job titles you’re interested in will only confuse them and no one will be able to help you.

2. Keep up with news and trends in your target industry to identify potential job opportunities. When you came across an article in a trade magazine about how the firm you did the informational interview with had won a big client, send the director a congratulatory email and ask if the firm will be hiring soon to meet the new demands.

3. Expand your circle. Network, network, network. Utilize social media and social networking sites…and then get out from behind your computer and get out of your house and go to some face-to-face networking events. Greet people, have interesting conversations with them. Find out about them and their interests so you can develop a true connection on common ground. Again, be specific when describing your experience and the job opportunity you are seeking.

4. Volunteer. Find strategic volunteer opportunities in your target field and go do them. Get creative. Create your own opportunities. This is an opportunity to showcase your expertise. It will keep you fresh, help you continue to develop your network, and you just never know what paid work might come out of it.

5. Be open to non-traditional types of work. Contract and freelance work is becoming more and more popular with companies as well as with individuals. No, this type of work does not include benefits but the pay is typically higher in order to compensate for that.

Get over the fact that it’s not “permanent” employment. First of all, nothing is permanent anymore so don’t let the fact that your employer takes taxes out of your check for you fool you. Many types of work are becoming more and more project based.

Secondly, a contract or freelance work engagement can and often does lead to something longer-term.