If you are active on social media, you will no doubt have read recently about this new fangled cultural phenomenon called ‘The Hidden Job Market.’ I receive dozens of emails every day asking me what it is and how to get access to it. Related: What’s The Hidden Job Market And How Do I Access It? I have some news for you…There is no hidden job market. It is just the job market. Instead, try to think of it in an entirely different way. There are the jobs that you can see advertised and that are visible to everyone in the marketplace. These are the same opportunities that could be found before the dawn of social media by using the same old tried and tested techniques such as Scouring job boards, applying to a job advert or simply registering your details with a recruitment agency. This is the exact same way you would find a job in 1996! Then, there is everything else. These are the opportunities that you are probably missing out on. These jobs are often never advertised on job boards (or social media for that matter). Job seekers are more likely to be approached about an opportunity rather than apply themselves. Nowadays, I would say as much as 60% of all jobs in the market are filled in this way, as opposed to more ‘traditional’ methods. So in 2016, rather than you finding a job, the job finds you! To put this into some context, and to quote a statistic from my own career in the recruitment industry, I would say that as much as 70% of all the placements I have made as a recruiter in the past five years have never been advertised to the public. In today’s job market, it is absolutely essential that you allow yourself to be found easily online by recruiters and employers who are proactively seeking out the best talent in the marketplace. So, there is a distinct shift in mindset required in order for you to become successful.
Competency based interview questions (also known as situational interview questions) are one of the most commonly used interviews questions you will come across regardless of your industry sector. These are the types of interview questions where the interviewer will ask you to discuss a specific example off where you have demonstrated some type of behavior in your previous experience.
Interviews really are the defining moment in every job search. They result is either dreams coming true or hopes being shattered. Think of a time in your life that was extremely important to you and your immediate future. It may be a sporting event you were competing in, a driving test or a college exam. Whatever it was, I’m willing to bet that the outcome depended on your performance at that given moment. Interviews are, of course, no different in that respect. Related: 4 Benefits Of A Mock Interview Would you turn up to the most important match of the season without any practice? Would you come to your driving test having never sat in the driving seat for years? Would you attend a college exam without studying hard beforehand? For most of us (I hope!) the answer to these questions is a resounding NO! That’s why mock interviews are so important when preparing for a real life interview. Aside from the (obvious) old adage ‘practice makes perfect’, here are three reasons you should consider a mock interview: