How to uncover the hidden jobs market

So what is the hidden jobs market?

It’s the pool of jobs waiting for applicants that never get posted online, to job

boards like Escape the City or company websites.

Studies have shown that the hidden jobs market could account for as much as

70% of the total opportunities available to potential employees.

But if it’s hidden, how do you get in?

Read on!

The key to the hidden jobs market lies in the old adage, ‘It’s not what you know,

it’s who you know that counts’.

But don’t worry, unlike in the old days when that meant you had to be incredibly

well connected through university or your parent’s workplace, now the world of

net-work is open to everyone with an internet connection.

Who you know has become a much broader category.

So if you’re tired of applying to 1000s of jobs and getting no response, you need to

be following these practices.

Active vs Passive Job Seeking

When you’ve refined your CV, set up job alerts, spend hours a day searching for

inspiration and even longer doing the applications it would be unfair to call those

efforts passive.

But, despite this, there is a more active way of looking for work.

The key difference is that rather than waiting for opportunities to come your way,

you go out of your way to create opportunities through conversations.

Active job seekers know what they want and they know how to get it, through

people.

So here’s how you become an active job seeker…

1. Get Clear on What You Want

Understanding what you’re looking for in your career is the first step to becoming

an active job seeker.

Often we look to be enticed by a job description or reeled in by company perks.

But unless we truly know what we’re looking for we’re at risk of choosing

something that isn’t aligned with our values or strengths.

Spend time discovering this before moving on to the next steps.

Once you have a good understanding of your strengths, values and the type of

company you want to work for, then you can start telling people about it.

This is where the Super Simple Statement comes in.

Follow this formula created by careers expert John Lees.

“I am interested in finding a job that allows me to do A,B,C in an Organisation that

is doing X,Y,Z.”

● ABC = Core Strengths / Skills

● XYZ = What is your ideal employer doing? (products, services, style and

culture)

Here’s an example…

I’m interested in finding a job that allows me to manage a team, give

presentations and develop systems in a in fast-growing, tech startup focused on

environmental conservation.

The beauty of an example like this is that it tells people enough about what you’re

looking for without committing to a job title that could limit your options.

2. Find out who can help you

Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to find out who can help.

You may not know exactly the right person to speak to, but there are only 7

connections to everyone in the world, so chances are you know someone who

does, or they do!

So start with those nearest and dearest.

Tell your family and close friends and ask them if they know someone who you

could speak to.

Job boards are another great way to identify who you should be speaking to.

Look at who’s hiring, which companies you like the look of and who has the job at

that company you think you’d love. There’s no better way of finding out what a

job’s really like than asking someone who’s already doing it.

Finally, if you’ve identified a particular industry or interest area, join groups and

follow hashtags for those areas.

3. Get Networking

Now for the tricky bit!

It’s time to reach out to the people you’ve identified and start up a conversation.

Lots of people fear networking, worried they’ll be seen as intrusive or needy. But

just think about how you’d feel if someone was keen to find out more about what

you did.

Would you be happy to help?

To feel more comfortable with the process it’s all about starting with small asks.

Don’t go in with someone you don’t know asking for work experience for a week.

Lead with a coffee or a quick call. If you can offer something in return, like a

review for their product or subtly like some of the content they share on LinkedIn

that’s even better.

The more equitable we can make the relationship the better.

The best possible way of getting connected to someone new is getting an

introduction so if at all possible ensure you’re being introduced before reaching

out cold.

Quick Dos and Don’ts of Networking:

Do

● Get an introduction first.

● Start with small asks

● Ask for a follow-up introduction to the next contact ‘Who else should I

speak to about this’.

● Be curious!

Don’t

● Reach out cold if you can avoid it.

● Go in with a big ask.

● Leave the conversation without a new contact to be introduced to.

● Miss the call, be late etc. Good netiquette is essential!

To get you started here are 4 essential questions to ask in your chat:

How did you get into this role?

Who does well in this industry/role?

Where is the industry going?

Who else can I speak to?

Remember, it’s just a conversation. This isn’t an interview so don’t let the

conversation to be steered to you, this is about you asking them questions!

Conclusion

Now you have all the tools in your kit to start uncovering the hidden jobs market.

If you’re not actively looking for a new job, this is still a great process to start now

so you can explore future opportunities.

If you are actively looking, this may seem like additional work on an already busy

plate but think of it as the fun side of job searching. Meeting new people, learning

about different industries and exploring possibilities.

Of course, don’t stop what you’re already doing, keep applying to jobs! But if

you’re not already using networking as part of your strategy for job seeking, this is

your sign to start.

If all of this still feels like a lot, and you’re not sure what values you want to bring

to work or what strengths you want to use. Reach out to Flo to discuss career

coaching sessions. Book a free consultation here.

And check out the latest jobs available on our Job Board.