You could be asking yourself what is this ‘Hidden Job Market’ everyone is talking about. It is a term used to describe jobs that are not advertised or posted on-line. Many employers do not openly advertise for employee’s and there are several reasons for this. Organisations may want to save time and money on advertising costs, or they may prefer to get candidates through internal employees.
Here are some top tips on how to begin to access the Hidden Job Market.
Do your research. Think about the roles that interest you and start to make a list of organisations you could connect with. LinkedIn is great for connecting with organisations you are interested in.
Networking is all about building relationships and connections. Think about the contacts you have in your existing network and how to expand this network.
Join a Professional Association or Interest Group. Explore if there is one is related to your discipline and find out about events you could join.
Find a mentor, through an Industry Mentoring Program or through a Professional Association.
Conduct some informational interviews, these are one-on-one conversations you could arrange with an individual within the industry you hope to enter.
Volunteering is great for enhancing your skills and helping you build your networks and knowledge of an industry/organisation.
Develop networking skills. Research and practice networking skills such as developing a great first impression with an ‘Elevator Pitch’
Directly approach employers. This can be done without an inside referral (cold calling) or through a referral by someone in your network (warm calling)
Recruitment agencies are used by some employers to find a suitable candidate for the role. Start to research recruitment agencies that specialise in the industry you want to enter.
Want further information about how to find industry connections? Why not come along to our Career Ready Industry Essentials webinar? You will be provided with resources and credited with a Career Ready Advantage Professional Learning activity.
Follow up your webinar with a one on one appointment with our Career Ready team and get the expert advice you need to assist with developing your employability.