3 Quick Ways to Tap into the Hidden Job Market Building Your Future Now

3 Quick Ways to Tap into the Hidden Job Market Building Your Future Now The hidden job market are those jobs that arent publicly advertised. Companies typically do this for a variety of reasons which include a desire to nurture and promote from within thus no need to advertise externally; another reason is that a company desires positions to be filled through employee referralsfor example if a company trusts and respects an employee with a great track record the belief is that they will refer other great employees to their company. For a job seeker, the hidden job is usually one of the best kept secretsbut sometimes it can be frustrating to tap into it. However, it doesnt have to be. Here are 3 ways to tapping into the hidden job market. Your immediate network Family and friends, former co-workers and even neighbours can be all great sources to tapping into the hidden job market. Some of them are part of companies that dont advertise jobs and thus can refer you if you qualify. Other people in your network may be business owners and entrepreneurs and are always looking for strong talent to help them grow their businessand remember they havent advertised their job openings because of time and/or budget constraints. However, when looking into your personal network for a job opportunity be sure that you are committed to giving 100% effort if you do land a job (as you should for any job.) This is, after all people that know you or have referred youand you really dont want to burn bridges by being a less than stellar employee. Your School Alumni Association If you have graduated from a college or university you are automatically an alum of the schools. Some graduates dont know this, but there are a host of career programs and job resources that can help you find a job especially in the hidden job marketsometimes the institution has ties to companies that may look kindly to the schools alumni. There also might be graduates working for these companies that find the alum great and would love to hire more. Dont be afraid to pick up the phone and find out more about job/career development through your alumni association. Cold Calling This is one of the toughest ways to tap into the hidden job market, but if you add cold calling to your daily job search routineit can truly pay dividends. First, make a list of companies in your industry. Secondly, check out their career areas on their websites. Did you find anything there that interests you? If not (or they have nothing listed) dont let that deter youcall them and find out if they are hiring. Ask for hiring a manager especially. You will be pleasantly surprised to find some unexpected opportunities by calling them out of the blue! Image: Geralt