Hidden Job Market? Why you are wasting your time looking for a job.

Is There a Hidden Job Market? One so special it is tucked away with that guy on the box of cereal, Lucky Charms. In this job market there are still people getting jobs. Good ones in fact. How are they getting these jobs? Do they have magic wands? Secret decoder rings? How is this fair when you are spending countless hours online applying for jobs and the only ones that seem to reply are those companies that want you to pay an "initiation fee."

This is exactly what you are doing wrong. Yes, applying for jobs online is what you are doing wrong. That's right, applying for jobs online is not probably going to get you a job. I laugh a little when I say that out loud. It seems so ironic. But, think about it. You are competing with thousands of other people who are looking to do the same thing that you are. Find a job. And guess what? They all have access to the same websites that you do. They are applying to the same jobs, have a bachelor's degree and have similar job experience. Now I am not saying that you can't get a job from applying for them online. I am just saying that the odds are not in your favor.

So how do we get the odds into your favor? Where do you look for a job? The jobs you should apply for...are you ready? Are the ones that you want to get. What? I should apply for a job that I want? Yes. The average company has about 20-25% turnover rate annually through attrition or someone moving. They almost never post jobs. So how are you going to get a job with this company if they don't advertise?

Pick up the phone book, google your industry, or ask around if people know anything about businesses in your industry. Use resources like Facebook and Linkedin and by doing this the odds are now in your favor. You have just increased your chances of getting a job ten fold. Best part is that you already know what position you are best suited for and chances are you have been in this position for a while. So why not apply for that position? My suggestion is that you pick 10-20 companies that you feel you are most qualified for and feel that your experience and expertise can add value to the company and do what you normally do, with a spin! You can call a company to find out who does the hiring for your position and send them your resume, but before you do this make sure you find out a few things about them so that when you actually get an interview you have this packed in your arsenal and can deploy your knowledge and research and hit target. But, the job is not completely done yet. You want to make sure that your not taking any chances and leave no money left on the table and even better this next step requires less work.

Let someone else do the work for you. Companies pay people called recruiters or headhunters. These people are paid bug bucks to help their clients find qualified employees. And these people are motivated by money. They want to help you get a job because that means that they get paid. You can find people like this on websites like Linkedin.com (Can you tell I really believe in this website?) and Zoominfo.com. Make sure that you have a picture and fill out your profile completely because these are the people that will get called first. Also make sure that you use keywords that were in our Top Secret List of Words That Can Improve Your Resume blog post from June of this year. So until next time..Good readings.
-Rotten Resume staff