Here's what you need to know about the hidden job market, and how you can find more job opportunities in your job search.
Jobs can be “invisible” for several reasons. One reason is that it takes time and costs money to advertise a position. If an employer knows that the job can be filled internally or from a pool of candidates already on file, by headhunting, or via word of mouth, they’re not likely to advertise. Some companies don’t post open positions because of the deluge of applicants they receive. It’s impossible for them to sort through the 700+ candidates who apply for a job. Another reason why a position might not be advertised is that the employer is looking to replace the person currently in the position.
If you don’t take the time to look for hidden jobs, you’re only touching the tip of the iceberg. There will be a great deal of competition for those jobs, and because of that, your chances of securing an interview will be dramatically reduced. If employers have work available, but haven’t yet advertised, the pool of potential candidates narrows to your advantage.
The more people who know that you’re looking for work, the more likely someone will have information about a job that isn’t advertised yet, or that may become available in the near future. You might be able to get the name of a good contact, or even a recommendation or referral. The best strategies for finding hidden jobs are to build your professional network and make an interview bucket list to target specific companies.
Here are other ways to find hidden jobs in your job search:
Social Media
Take advantage of social media sites to promote your brand. LinkedIn is, of course, the most commonly used professional networking site. In fact, your chances of getting a job without having a LinkedIn profile are fairly slim. Make sure you're optimizing your LinkedIn profile so recruiters and hiring managers can find you. Also, be aware that whatever you share on social media is in no way private, and potential employers can access it. So, be smart about your social networking.
Informational Interviews
Another way to access hidden jobs is to set up informational interviews with companies you’re interested in. Find someone who currently does what you want to do and ask to set up a time to have a quick chat to learn more. This is something that’s often done by people just starting out in a particular field, but it can actually be helpful at all stages of your career.
Consider Contract Work Or Consulting
If you’re in a career slump, you might consider taking temporary, contract, or consulting positions. Many contract jobs have led to full-time employment, and if nothing else, they create more opportunities for you to network.
Career Fairs
Career fairs can also be great networking opportunities. You might not get an immediate job offer, but that's not really the goal. The goal is to get your name and brand in front of more employers and find new people to network with.
Now you can see why employers don’t always advertise employment opportunities or post to job boards (especially at the executive level). If you want to find the hidden job market, follow the tips above! You'll find the right job for you in no time.
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Check out these five career paths if you love to flex your creative muscles.
As a professional in fashion designing, you will enjoy studying different fashion trends and creating sketches of your imaginative clothing line. Once you are done with your designs, you may choose different buckles, fabrics, and other bits and bring your creative visions to life. Formal education is not compulsory for fashion designing but many individuals take it up to learn more about fabrics and textiles.
If you do, it’s important for you to take up the right fashion merchandising program. If you are worried about the scope of this program, well, here is a piece of information for you: as long as men and women have to wear clothes, there will be designers to make them.
The never-ending demand for multimedia artists is predicted to grow as demand for television and movie special effects, 3D movies, websites, and video games grow. The demand is also increasing in other fields like scientific researches and mobile technologies. Today, most employers look for practical knowledge rather than a degree in this field. Art directors and other clients have various metrics to measure your skills and talent. However, if you wish to develop your knowledge in this area, the doors are open for you.
With everybody needing websites today, creative web designers have always been in demand. And with the introduction of new designing software and many resources that help you make your own website, web designing is more popular today than ever.
If you are an artist who loves coloring with chocolate sauce instead of paints, then a chef’s role could be best for you. You must love food and treat every meal as a masterpiece of culinary. A chef’s job is typically spent in a kitchen creating recipes, ordering ingredients, making the menu and, of course, preparing the best ways to present the food. While a lot of chefs learn from work experience, an equal number of them also take up culinary programs in technical schools, colleges, and art academics.
If you are a team player who loves to collaborate with people and work on major creative projects, the role of an advertising manager may not be a bad option for you. Your role would require you to work with sales agents, art directors, and other members in the team to make advertising campaigns for different organizations and products. You could be working for popular websites, billboards, television networks, and radio stations.
Many employers prefer candidates who have relevant degrees or marketing certifications to make sure they have the right knowledge and skills.
Probably the toughest one on the list, but definitely the most rewarding one, a film director’s career involves running the production unit, selecting cast members, taking care of the auditions, interpreting scripts, and getting the cast and crew going. The demand for film directors is predicted to grow in the coming years and that is a good sign for interested candidates.
Directors simply need talent, business acumen, and creativity. If you are interested in taking up formal education in the film industry, check out these programs.
Many people don't know that by being creative, you can simply make your own career and change the world. So, dream big and check out one of the five careers above if you want your job to spark creativity, not discourage it.
Need help finding the right career for you?
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Most jobs have elements of stress or pressure, and how you behave in response to that stress greatly affects how you perform and how you affect the work environment for others. Here are three sample questions and answers for you to consider before your next job interview:
This question is pretty straightforward. You may be tempted to say, “I handle it just fine," or “It motivates me to work harder." Even though these seem like good answers, you'll be better off if you can give them a little more insight into you and the way you think. For instance, a more effective way to respond may be to say, “I've learned that, in times of stress, it's very important to prioritize my tasks so I can continue to be productive," and then give an example using the STAR or "Experience + Learn = Grow" technique.
However you've learned to deal with stressful situations, it's nice to follow up your response with an example of how you've put that approach to the test. Your example would include the steps you took to think about what had to be done and decide on priorities.
This question is essentially asking the same thing as the direct, straightforward question above, but specifically asks for a story. Don't just say that you buckled down and stayed until the work was done. That does show you as someone who finishes a job no matter what, but you'll make yourself stand out more if you choose an example that walks them through how you approach and solve problems.
Highlight your critical thinking skills. Usually this will touch on how you had to look at the situation critically and prioritize what needed to be done immediately and what could wait (or what could be delegated). Walk them through why you chose what you chose and what the results were.
Isn't it always a bit stressful when our work is criticized? No one's perfect, so chances are you had your work criticized in the past (and will again in the future). To become better at anything, you must be open to constructive criticism and willing to learn from it. Learning and improving are what will make you even more valuable as you grow in your career.
Tell the hiring manager about a situation that is preferably far in your past and isn't directly related to important tasks of the job you're interviewing for. (Accountants may not want to talk about how you miscalculated a budget forecast because of a math problem—but telling a story about what you learned from a difficult situation with a project team member that made you a much better communicator would be great.) Explain the situation you were criticized for, the action you took to learn from or correct the situation, and the end result (STAR technique). Your goal is to show how you improved and became a better professional because of it.
Before your next job interview, practice answering the above questions about how you handle stress. That way, you'll be better prepared to answer with a response that will surely impress hiring managers and make you stand out from the competition.
**Need more in-depth interview answers? Download Career Confidential's Free eBook, How to Answer Interview Questions – 50 Tough Questions Answered, to learn the best strategies and answers for your next interview.
Need more help with your job search?
Check out our FREE resources page!
Or, join our career growth club today and get access to one-on-one career coaching, resume and cover letter reviews, online tutorials, and unlimited networking opportunities—all in your back pocket!
If you want more FREE career advice, follow us on TikTok!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
