10 Tips to access the hidden job market


By Marcia LaReau 

It can be very disconcerting for a jobseeker when the media reports that 80% of the available jobs are not posted online. This has become one reason that many people tout and believe that the only way to get a job is to network. Adding to this approach is the idea that applying online is like sending one’s résumé into the proverbial “black hole”. None of these statements are true.

Networking is not the only way to get a job, and it is not difficult to get through the online systems with an understanding of how they work. There is no way to determine or even estimate how many positions are posted through online job boards. It should also be added that regardless of the approach, a solid résumé, solid skills, and a professional presentation, both on paper and in person, is still critical to finding employment.

Be Able To Be Found

Today, recruiters are the hub for the hidden job market. Independent recruiters and recruiting firms receive a majority of the job openings that are not posted on the standard job boards. Truly, they are the center of activity for these opportunities so it becomes important to understand their processes as they fill those positions.




Every firm has its own specific process, however, most recruiters follow similar methodologies. The task of the jobseeker is to build relationships with recruiters and clearly and succinctly educate them with regard to the jobseeker’s attributes, core competencies, skills, and experience.

10 Tips & Suggestions:

  • LinkedIn is THE critical business networking component for jobseekers. Recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates. Review the article Creating an Online Image, especially Step 6: LinkedIn. 

  • If your résumé profile differs from your LinkedIn profile, this raises a red flag for a recruiter. 

  • Being active on LinkedIn Groups demonstrates that a candidate is keeping current in their industry. 


  • You can use Twitter to find recruiters in your field and territory. (See my Twitter lists to help you find these – Ed) 

  • When contacted by a firm, listen carefully to the recruiter’s understanding of your profile and what kind of position would be a good match for you. 

  • When a recruiter indicates a concern, they are giving you valuable information. Your response should be to give them the information they need to better present you to their client and respond the any concerns that their client may have. 

  • It is important to every recruiting agency and every recruiter that the candidate they present to their client should make the firm look good and build loyalty with their client. 

  • Following an interview, if a recuriter presses you for every detail, be aware that they may use the information you give them to help another candidate. 

  • Once you land employment, reconnect with your recruiter every six months, keeping in mind that in the current employment market, you will likely change jobs every 4 to 5 years.



Called a Creative Thinker, Career Futurist, and a person of unusual solution, Marcia LaReau founded Forward Motion, LLC in 2007. Since that time, she has become a recognized leader in the employment industry, and Forward Motion has spread across the United States and abroad to help jobseekers find jobs that fit.

Website: http://forwardmotioncareers.com/
Blog: http://forwardmotioncareers.com/category/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ForwardMotionUS




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