How to locate and find the dream jobs which are hidden.

With 80% of the jobs being filled by some sort of referral, it is becoming more difficult to find a job on line. Leaving 100% of the people fighting over the 20% posted.

If “spray and pray” is the only way you are looking for a job, we hope you are lucky. Another way is  to locate the hidden job market. And focus on the hiring process by aligning your skills and capabilities with the needs of the hiring companies.

Job Searchers Work Opposite to What Hiring Managers Do Naturally

If you were a hiring manager, would you place an ad in the local paper? “Hoping” to find a new employee with all the skills and capabilities required. Knowing it is 50/50 a person hired from outside will even fit the job.

What is it hiring managers naturally do? They first look inside their own company and then talk to friends and peers about people they know.

On the opposite side of the table, if you are searching for a job, what is one of the first things you naturally do? Go look for jobs which are posted?

Or do you first ask your friends and extended family if they know of any positions which “might be” opening up with a growing company and how to network into the hiring manager.

You were either born lucky. Or you can be in the right place at the right time.

• Does it make sense a hiring manager prefers to look at existing employees to fill a new position, compared to looking outside the company.
• Does it also make sense employees prefer to work where the attitude of the company is to promote from with-in and hire from outside second.
• Can you see employees from a company like this recommending the “best of the best” when asked, “Do you know anybody who might fit a new job?”.

If you were connected to people “inside” a company you want to work at. Would they know about new opportunities before they are posted? And “if” they believed your skills and capabilities matched up with the new position, would they recommend you?

You may be thinking, do companies really believe in using employee referrals?

The simple fact is most companies believe in it so strongly, they pay a “bounty” to employees if they recommend somebody who is hired. My previous company started at $ 100 and raised it to $ 500 within 3 months due to the success rate.

If you agree with these statements, the hidden job market is not really hidden.

Well, that was easy, or was it. Now you know “what” the hidden market is all about, and some of the “why” behind the lack of job postings for many positions which are filled by referrals. Great, so “how do you” go locate these hidden potential jobs?

“In the job-hunt, networking is often the secret of the game.”
Dick Bolles – Job Hunter’s Bible

I know, networking is a dirty word and it takes way too long to find a job. At this point take a hard look in the mirror.

Have the bills hit the ceiling and any job will do? If so, fill the need, yet don’t lose focus on the future. One way to get out of a hole is to climb out, one step at a time. Make a plan, and part of a successful career plan is to network for long term gains. Get a job to pay the bills, but don’t stop networking.

If the bills are OK for now, you still need a plan for your job search. To “only” go job hunting on line will only uncover posted jobs. Part of any job search for the hidden jobs needs to include networking.

Where do you want your career to be in 5 or 10 years?

Do you want to wake up and realize you have been on a dead end road? It is never too early to talk with your friends, family and others in your network around ideas and brain storm where do you want to end up. What careers excite you and where do you want to live.

Funny thing, this is also one of the first steps of networking. Nobody ever said to run down the street and talk with strangers walking their dog, start with those you know. Then begin to branch out to those you don’t know, but should. It is your network which will lead you to success in finding your dream job and career.

We have now covered the initial what and why behind the hidden job market.

We are far from being done with the topic. However, it was important to lay down a foundation behind the reasoning and importance of networking.

We will drill into the “how to find” the hidden job market next. Using a similar approach to the job resource sites article recently posted. Bringing you the best the Internet has to offer around the hidden job market.

As indicated in the last article, in the mean time, here is a definite read for any of you wondering what is the hidden job market, why you should care, and tips and tactics to get started.