Career Networking and The Hidden Job Market

In an ailing economy, a rigorous job search can be can frustrating and intimidating, particularly as some sources state that as many as 85% of available jobs never appear in newspapers or Internet job boards.  While the statistics vary, the truth underlying this certainty has long been known among astute job seekers.  Candidates hoping to expand their opportunities by way of this hidden job market need to identify its most viable points of access.

Every serious candidate is aware of the significance of networking through direct contacts in the business world.  By attrition, however, the swelling ranks of applicants either unemployed or confronting imminent unemployment has diminished the potential openings available via this avenue of traditional career networking.  Consider using different approaches to yield greater results.

One such approach is cultivating new contacts via participation in volunteer efforts.  Philanthropic and other organizations provide an opportunity for you to work with others sharing common goals and interests.  Affiliation in such organizations enables job seekers to widen their circle of contacts and create references who can vouch honestly for the work ethic and commitment of the applicant.

The addition of volunteer work also enhances the content and quality of one’s resume as it speaks of the candidate’s dedication to others and more.  Interviewers will often ask prospective employees to explain intervals between jobs.  Memberships in volunteer organizations allow candidates to initiate meaningful dialogues beyond the usual response of, “I was looking for a job.”  Volunteer work presents an opportunity to demonstrate allegiance to a worthy cause as well as to highlight one’s duties, including the communication, negotiation, organizational, and problem-solving skills that also have value in the business arena.  Such traits and community service are attractive to potential employers.

Another means of accessing the hidden job market is both obvious and often overlooked: the general media and the business press.  The most cursory, daily perusal of any Internet browser’s home page will reveal news of companies launching new products or services, entering into previously untapped markets, or instituting new management at the executive level.  These scenarios indicate firms undergoing transitions that may equate to employment opportunities.  The same may be said of organizations that appear to be increasing their advertising in broadcast or print media.  Seeking to create new consumers and elevate sales, these employers may require staff skilled in a broad array of job functions to support those initiatives.

Other business publications provide potential access points into the hidden job market.  Across diversified industries, most business publications compile lists as well as information concerning the largest and/or most rapidly growing companies in their area.  On an annual basis, this data will appear in books or catalogues of lists that serve as useful reference tools for serious job seekers.

Social groups present yet another career networking opportunity.  Should the group be affiliated with a specific profession or field, part of its mission is to disseminate knowledge of emerging industry trends; knowledge that is not only practical, it is often vital in one’s job search.  Although many such groups do meet face-to-face, virtual networking is increasing in popularity, bringing individuals together for the sake of common, non-job related interests.  Once formed in cyberspace, friendships often transcend the anonymous nature of Internet boards to coalesce into genuine, supportive relationships that can broaden one’s network of potential opportunities in the hidden job market.

In addition to the usual electronic job boards, recruiters accessing the Internet broaden their own search for viable candidates through sites such as LinkedIn, a resource that uses postings from a job aggregator known as SimplyHired.  Through these sites, applicants can create and revise profiles that can be viewed by recruiters, both internal and external to employers.  Obviously, serious job seekers will wish to establish and maintain profiles that portray them as professional and reliable.

On resumes, active memberships in general-professional or industry-related organizations indicate candidates’ desires to continue to hone their skills and build upon their existing base of knowledge:  mindsets focused on professional excellence and appealing to hiring managers.  In addition to the obvious, direct-networking benefits of professional or industry affiliations, employers sometimes conduct on-line searches of applicants by using such affiliations as part of their search criteria.

Through capitalization of schools’ career centers as well as direct contact with one’s old classmates, alumni associations also provide job seekers with a means of expanding their networking opportunities into the hidden job market.  However, alumni associations are not limited to institutions of higher learning; employer alumni associations are exactly what they sound like:  groups of people who once worked for the same company and who may be able to assist the serious job seeker with potential leads.

As with most things in life, one must strive for balance.  In desiring assistance from others to access the hidden job market, seek to return the favor.  Considerate response to your colleagues’ own needs is not only “the right thing to do;” it can also assist in maintaining and even expanding the networking lifelines that many find indispensable in advancing their careers.