A few days ago I tweeted a thought about the Hidden Job Market…
Let me expand on this thought about the hidden job market… you’ve heard of it, but I don’t often hear people talk about where it is or how to find it. More on how to tap into the hidden job market in the next post. Today I want to talk about this tweet.
1. The hidden job market isn’t hidden. Seriously. There are books and articles on it. Weekly, throughout the world, job seekers meet and talk about the hidden job market. Some of them know they are talking about the hidden job market, others talk about it without knowing that’s what it is.
2. It isn’t easy to get to the hidden job market. Hence all the talk about it being hidden, or elusive, or hard to find. It isn’t hidden, elusive or hard to find, if you know what it is, but even knowing doesn’t make it any easier to get to.
3. It takes time… I spent about 10 hours a day in my job search looking in the unhidden job market, along with hundreds of thousands of other unemployed professionals. I wonder what would have happened (and when it would have happened) if I spent a portion of that time (whether 10% or 90%) in the so-called hidden space.
4. It takes effort… going onto job boards and online places to look for openings seems like it takes effort, but it really isn’t much effort compared to what it takes to successfully tap into the hidden job market. Effort might include personal refining, getting out of your comfort zone, doing stuff career experts say you should do but stuff that seems like a waste of time. It’s hard to rethink yourself from “I’m Jason the General Manager” to “I’m Jason, CEO of Me, Inc.” Lots of effort required.
5. It takes tact… it doesn’t take a lot of tact looking at and applying to posted jobs. Once you get to the hidden job market, however, much tact is required.
Next post is about WHERE this hidden job market is.
