4 Ways to Find Jobs That Are Not Posted Online

  Have you heard about the hidden job market or jobs that are not posted online?  Your dream job may not be published on the Internet.  Some jobs are only available to those with internal information and contacts.  To get one of these jobs, you must first find it.  An estimated 70% of jobs have not been posted.  There are so many hidden roles that you might lose.

  Most experts agree that only 30% of new jobs are announced.  This means that the majority of opportunities never reach job boards.  Usually, the higher the rank, the less likely the job is to be announced.  So how do all of these functions come about and what does this mean for you?

Is there really a hidden job market?

  Many employers use the hidden job market to avoid the lengthy and costly process of open online applications.  Instead of posting a job posting, employers can choose alternatives such as hiring internally, using a recruiting company or headhunters and relying on referrals from current employees.

  How big is the hidden job market or jobs that are not posted online?  By definition, it’s impossible to say.  These are jobs that have yet to be advertised, and they range from small businesses to pop companies to even large corporations.  I’ve seen estimates place the hidden job market anywhere from 30% – 70% of all vacancies.  It is also noted that this number fluctuates with the economy.  When the economy is better, the number shrinks.  When the economy takes a hit, it gets bigger.  This makes sense, as employers have to filter hundreds of other resumes when the economy is poor and many people are unemployed.

  No matter what number you set, the hidden job market is clearly huge.  It is the best place to get your next job.  And it takes a lot of work.  Much more work than most people realize.  But it’s also a lot more rewarding than sending hundreds of resumes blindly, only to hear no response from the recruiters.  Remember, by the time the job is posted on Monster, it’s already weeks since the company has been interviewing candidates for a few weeks before it even knew about the opening.  The best time to interview when opening is to be the first person in line.

ALSO READ: When and How to Follow Up on Job Application

How do I find a job that is not advertised?

  As a member of modern society, you are well aware that networking is one of the potential ways to find jobs that are not posted online.  But did you know that it may actually be the best way to get the job done?  (I.e. the task of finding a new job).  Some estimate that over 85% of open jobs are filled through networks.

  If you are looking for a job, it may be better to dedicate your time building your professional network than searching all of those listings online.  The benefits and general impact of networking has received a lot of study in recent years.  The results of these reports vary somewhat, but everyone agrees that it is definitely a popular way to get a job.  Some experts say that 70% of people end up with their current sites thanks to networking.  Others say it’s over 80% or even 85%.

  Even when the numbers are broken down into different categories of job seekers, and people are asked how they got their current job, networks top every list.  One of the main reasons that networking is an effective way to get a job is because there’s a hidden job market out there.  Some estimate that up to 80% of new jobs are never listed but are filled internally or over networks.

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  In fact, getting a referral for a vacancy from someone who already works with the company might give you very impressive odds.  Only 7% of job applicants get this type of referral, yet referrals make us 40% of new hires.  Networking is clearly not just one potential route to finding a new job – it is, in fact, the most effective way to land jobs that are not posted online.

  At least 70%, if not 80%, of the jobs are not posted, yet most people – spend 70% or 80% of their time surfing the Internet in exchange for going out and talking to employers and taking advantage of some opportunity [and] being aware.  The broad specialty of hiring is for friends and acquaintances to appoint other trusted friends and acquaintances.

  Let’s take a look at recruitment from a company’s perspective: When a company has a vacancy, they want to fill it as quickly, easily, and inexpensively as possible.  In a difficult economy, most hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes for every available public job.  Even with strict filters in the automated software, it can take hours for HR employees and hiring managers to contest the resumes they receive.  This is why most resumes only get a sneak peek when they are received.  If your resume doesn’t appear in the first 15-20 seconds (or less), it will fall into the rejected heap.

How to Find Jobs That Are Not Posted Online

1.    Internal promotions

Most companies look from the inside for employee promotion.  It is faster, easier and cheaper.  The company also gets other benefits – they get a known entity in the position, and they get to reward the employee with his or her promotion.  This comes with the added benefit of maintaining the best performance at their job for longer, and reducing overall turnover.  A win-win for the company and the employee.

2.    Recruiters

Some companies also reach out to employers for high-profile or difficult-to-fill positions.  In these cases, recruiters exploit their employee networks and search for the right person.  Read these tips from a recruiter to learn more about how it works on the job search course.

3.    Recommendations

 The next place companies often look to is through employee recommendations.  In fact, many companies offer bonuses when employees recommend someone who is ultimately hired.  Again, this is due to an equal saving of time and money with the company.  It’s much easier for hiring managers to sort through some rich recommendations than to open a job to the public.  Part of the money the company saves is passed on to the referring employee in the form of a bonus.

4.    Volunteer / Intern

  A lot of companies use unpaid internships as a way to test potential candidates for a full-time job.  Moreover, you not only gain experience but also gain contacts.  These contacts may not be in a position to offer you a job, but they may know very well the people who are.  Basically, it is another form of communication, albeit one that gives you the opportunity to respond to something that looks good on a resume.  Above all, you may need experience to get a job.  Experience is exactly what unpaid training can give you.