The hidden job market refers to opportunities that are not advertised to the general public or included on the employment pages of a company’s website and can comprise up to 80% of all jobs filled. These employment opportunities are usually accessed through an inside connection who is aware of the opportunity before the job is officially announced. These opportunities can be the result of:

These job leads are passed along through a network of contacts. They may include existing positions or positions that could be created for the right person. This hidden job market is accessed through people who know about the circumstances outlined above and can include:

Throughout your job search and career, networking is the name of the game. Social networking sites, personal and corporate blogs, career support groups and alumni networks are becoming better recognized as sources of information about unadvertised opportunities. Leads are passed among contacts along with recommendations and endorsements that result in introductions. In today’s competitive job market, networking has become the major recruiting method utilized by many hiring authorities.

If you are not getting results from your job search efforts, it’s time to increase the time you spend identifying unadvertised jobs. It is not just what you know or even who you know but who knows what you know that can turn your search around. You have to offer prospective hiring authorities what they need and want, when they need it. It is important to stay on an employer’s radar, so that when changes create new opportunities, you will hear about them.

Your ability to tap in to the hidden job market throughout your career will greatly enhance the level of success you achieve.