Secret Job Markets & Belittling of Others...

A LinkedIn poster had an interesting thing to say on this platform yesterday, stating that the "secret job market" is a myth. They stated the often-cited statistic about 80% of jobs never being posted and being filled by "who you know" is a debunked lie told by career coaches looking to make a buck off their courses. I thought this was a bold and yet fascinating thing to state. I didn't completely disagree! But I didn't totally agree with it either. I loved the fact it was different than status quo advice so I wanted to go deeper and find out more because I found it hard to believe they didn't believe in networking at all...since it works so well.

Anecdotally, here's what I know:

• My client landed a CEO job that was not posted via networking. Think how many missed out on this by not knowing about it if they didn't network, making the "secret" market a very real thing that happens.
• A business owner I know is growing and is looking to add to their start-up. They will ONLY hire via word of mouth and through someone they trust or by the recommendation of someone they trust. They have zero intention of posting it. You would have no possibility of getting hired here without an "in" and I don't blame them. They have quit their full-time jobs and invested their entire family's future in this business. Of course theyr'e going to carefully vet who is with them on this journey.
• I hired a nanny/taxi driver this coming summer from a family friend, and never posted it. My best childcare arrangements have always occurred through a similar channel and I know I can trust this person 100% driving and caring for my kids. Why would I chance otherwise if I have a recommendation? Reversely, they know what our family and kids are like. Many sitters will only find work this way as they like controlling what they're getting in return!
• A friend got a job via their old boss, the company posted it and did the whole full-cycle recruiting/interview process but told said friend the job is yours, we just have to go through the usual process to appease HR. I know you're perfect, just bear with the endless rounds of interviews and hoops you'll have to go through. They landed $10k more!
• My clients that actively network land positions 60-70% faster than the ones who drag their feet on it.

I tried to engage in some questions and offer my thoughts to this LinkedIn poster yesterday. I'm not sure why, it was clear this person was a blowhard and bordered on belittling to anyone that didn't wholeheartedly agree with them. The HR Consultant/Recruiter didn't want to engage or offer insights. They just wanted to tear me and others down because of our titles. According to them, Career Coaches like myself are the ONLY ones touting this statistic. They offered no proof of their statement, other than to say that all comments about this statistic are based on a debunked Lou Adler study done in 2013. They made fun of my desire to ask for data that showed otherwise. They told me to "do my research" and ingored the fact I stated over and over that there was legitimacy to this much hyped statistic being overblown BUT that networking was still wildly important for many reasons.

Given how widely this statistic is quoted, with references to sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or Yale University (https://jobs.washingtonpost.com/article/how-to-land-a-job-by-networking), it's fair point in wanting to see the data that backs up their bold statements that say it is not actually so. I couldn't find any and if you can, please send my way. I couldn't get this exchange out of my head because I think it can be dangerous for people that hear it and think they should not network. I agree that 80% of the world's jobs are not part of some super secret society you need to be a part of through who you know in order to get hired. A strong resume, excellent value to offer and being in the right place at the right time will always win out.

This sent me on down a rabbit hole to learn more. I found an amazing article that corresponded to what I felt - the statistic might be overblown but the purpose and value of networking is still very real and relevant.

Although the '80 % hidden job market' myth is busted, over 70% of employers still begin hunting for talent internally and in their immediate networks. As Career Advisor Rich Grant noted in an article on LinkedIn,

'Even though most jobs are not hidden today, that doesn't mean that the market is totally open and transparent. The job market can be compared to a gated community where you need to know someone to get through the gate.'

Learn more about his fascinating take on this statistic and further insights at https://www.jogreencoaching.com/blog/2018/3/20/80-nonsense-busting-the-hidden-job-market-myth.

A recent report showed that referrals only accounted for 20-44% of new hires (https://www.recruiter.com/i/drafted-surveyed-200-companies-about-their-employee-referral-programs-heres-what-we-learned/) so I think that is definitely some actionable data to argue the often cited statistic. But what this report doesn't point out is what about the network of external recruiters or 3rd party staffing agencies used, what about the network of leadership or HR that may be excluded from referral bonuses and thus not counted into this statistic? This data focused on "internal referrals" and often times those situations are not included in this type of data as they're excluded from the focus of the study because they don't quality. This leads me to my GUESS that the median for jobs being filled due to "who you know" is actually somewhere around 45-60%, with a large sway based on industry, urgency and pay. I think in this labor market you'll definitely find harder to fill positions like customer service, retail or restaurant for instance to be filled via the more traditional ad or application methods. But to get in at Apple or Amazon, it will definitely help to know someone.

I offer Virtual Assistant Job Search services. I search and apply for people. I tee up networking meetings. And I've absolutely had success with clients getting a job via my tailoring their resume, cover letter and materials to a job ad on a job board. It does happen! But the data is overwhelming that networking pays off. Hence why my VA services include teeing up networking and not just focusing on the applications! If I thought that would work well, I'd focus there. But it just doesn't (https://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/employment-research/how-does-networking-affect-your-job-search).

I ended up deleting the whole exchange and blocking this poster. I don't want to see or support any of their blowhard stands or treatments of people that disagreed with them. I also deleted LinkedIn off my phone. I still love the platform and everything it does to help job seekers and those looking to network or build better business relationships. But not everyone on here is worth listening to and I know it's time to decrease my time on it for my own mental load. There are a lot of bait and switch tactics to make you feel bad or think you need to buy their coaching to survive. I especially see this with services geared towards coaching or small businesses and I don't like it.

I am here if you need help but you don't need to ever feel bad if you don't need or want it. We can still connect and engage! I hope you take advantage of my free resources if they help you or point others to them if you think it would help them. I love helping others. I work a part-time schedule and am a one-person shop so I'm pretty realistic about the limitations of who I'll be able to do business with, which is a pretty small number in the scheme of things. I give my clients and intake callers recommendations of any and all free resources available to help them that are offered in the community or world at large. Contact me if you'd like a list!!

Coaches like myself are here when you're stuck and just cannot get there on your own. Or, if you just don't have time to deal with your materials or learning how to make them stand out, outsource it if you'd like. I love to have the work writing resumes or helping with a search. But if you can do it on your own, hats off to you. I'd never, ever tell you that you NEED someone like me to get a job. We're just here as a resource if you want or need it.

If you ever disagree with me on something I share or state, I will never, ever treat you with anything other than kindness or respect. No one deserves anything otherwise. My husband or tween/teen might question that statement so I have to remember this is a universal promise ; )

I love to learn and dive deep so please, bring it on in a respectful manner!!

Please know that when I keep pointing out the benefits of networking, it's not to sell you. It's because it works. The data points to it being advantageous. Commonsense says it's a good way to go, especially from the employer's viewpoint. It's also the single best way to ensure you know the culture will be a good fit. If you only trust some sales induced recruiting process, that can be risky if they're not straight with you.

If you have found a similar exchange or something else on this platform to disturb you, you're not alone. I dislike social media and this is the only platform I'm on because it's so helpful for networking and my business. But you can do it in a more balanced way. I loved this article and the suggestions in it for improving your mental health by reducing your time with LinkedIn. Check it out if you're interested (https://medium.com/@cortneygloriacoulanges/youre-not-off-the-hook-linkedin-fb930fa200b6).

Please, please keep networking. And feel free to remove any toxicity from your life - be it social media, a bad boss or an influencer that you're just tired of. It really is freeing to surround yourself with only growth and respect!!