What is the Hidden Job Market?

How can a job be hidden? Turns out many jobs are not posted yet and might not reach the point of going online. Here, we discuss the hidden job market and how to tap into it.

By Lora Korpar

What if your next career opportunity isn’t online yet??

The phrase “hidden job market” refers to jobs that are unadvertised or not posted online. According to The Balance Careers , “many jobs are found through networking rather than traditional job searching.” Some companies might also opt to hire an internal candidate or accept employee referrals instead of creating an online post.

But how often do companies decide to forgo the standard job search model? And how do job seekers take advantage of it?

I spoke with Bonnie Dilber, a recruiting manager at Zapier, as well as Daniela Herrera, director for recruiting and DEI at R/GA, to discuss why some jobs are hidden, how common the hidden job market is and how to access it.

How Prevalent is the Hidden Job Market?

Dilber and Herrera said though the hidden job market exists, it is not as widespread as some might believe.

“A lot of influencers and career coaches profit off of this idea that you can only access great jobs if you know someone. I think that perpetuates this idea that most great opportunities can only be accessed through this hidden job market,” Dilber said. “But I think that is far from reality.”

“At the end of the day, if companies have open roles, they want to fill them, and the best way to do it is to share that opportunity as wide as you can,” Herrera added.

Dilber and Herrera said employers only choose to keep jobs hidden in specific situations. For example, if a company tries to keep its search for a senior executive role confidential, it will not post about the position online. Or a role might only be open to internal candidates if a company wants to prioritize its employees.

Smaller companies and startups might go the “hidden job” route because they don’t have recruiting teams yet, according to Herrera. Also, sometimes a company will close a job posting fast or ask for employee referrals if it knows the position will be popular. That way, the recruiters can review applications without feeling overwhelmed.

“The reality is the jobs that the vast majority of people who are looking for work are after are out there and available to everyone,” Dilber said.

Accessing the Hidden Job Market as an Internal Candidate

Sometimes companies will advertise positions to their employees before posting the job online. You will likely need to interview if you want to switch positions within the same company. So how do you succeed in an internal interview?

Herrera says to operate under the assumption that you will have to go through the same interview process external candidates will.?

“Many companies have the person go through the regular interview process, especially if they're trying to apply for a role that is in a completely different discipline or department,” Herrera said. “[In these cases,] approach it the same way you would approach a regular interview.”

However, Herrera added that some companies might instead gather internal feedback from the employee’s managers and co-workers, then have an informal conversation with the employee.

No matter which interview format, Dilber says the internal candidate will have an advantage because they know the company’s operations and culture.

“I think one thing internal candidates should really think about is ‘How are the experiences I've gained here, and the relationships I've built, going to give me a leg up and allow me to hit the ground running in this role in a way that an external person would not be able to?’” Dilber said.

Herrera also suggests highlighting your transferable skills during the interview. And don’t be afraid to ask questions such as what the work day will look like and how the culture and management style of the new position might differ from your current role.

“Even though you're staying within the same company, you're taking on a new role,” Herrera said. “So I would ask the same questions that you would be asking in a regular interview.”

Dilber encourages those looking to switch positions in their company to do “internal networking.”

“If I had a dream job coming up, I would start chatting with people on the team, get to know them and understand their work,” Dilber said. “See if you can do some shadowing and start getting a sense of some of the challenges they're tackling and building relationships with essential hiring managers. Then when a role comes up, you're someone that they are thinking about.”

Networking in the Hidden Job Market

Networking is the key to discovering job opportunities that are not online yet. Dilber and Herrera said the best way to find these opportunities is to message companies.?

Recruiters will know if a company plans to post a new position soon. And Dilber says if you are not right for a role you applied for, recruiters could consider you for an opening they know is approaching.

However, keep in mind that recruiters receive hundreds of messages from people asking to find them a job. So make your message stand out.

“Don't just send an email saying, ‘Hey, can you help me find a job?’ because that's not the role of the recruiter,” Herrera said. “Share your resume, what it is that you're looking for and what you are interested in doing in the future. You also need to know that even if you do all of that, unfortunately, sometimes you may not receive a response because recruiters and hiring managers … cannot help every single person they come across.”

Dilber also said to research which hiring managers recruit for the specific field or department you are interested in. A response is more likely when you contact the correct person. And don’t be afraid to ask the company if you can’t find the right recruiter.

“I also encourage people to start following folks [online] and start interacting with their content so that your name is familiar to them,” Dilber said. “They're more likely to respond to you [if you’ve] made your way into their network before you've made an ask of them.”

Make the message to the recruiter or company member as short and clear as possible. Highlight your career goals and experiences. Be realistic about your chances of landing the job, and don’t let rejection demoralize you.

“A lot of the jobs that are available are not necessarily jobs that are as desirable,” Dilber said. “So when it comes to jobs that people really want, recruiters and hiring managers have a lot of candidates. It does turn into a numbers game and so we just encourage people not to get discouraged.”

Also, make sure to apply for the jobs that best fit you.

“I think people are concluding that they're not getting opportunities because there's some hidden secret or because they don't know the right people,” Dilber said. “A lot of times it's because they're targeting things they are not the best candidate for. So I think doing some of that reflection and being strategic and targeted in your approach is the best way to navigate a job search.”

Top Takeaways

What to know about the hidden job market

• The hidden job market exists, but is not as widespread as people think.
• Most “hidden jobs” arise from confidential job searches, internal hiring, employee referrals or small companies with no recruiting team.
• Approach an internal interview the same way you would approach a regular one.
• Network with the correct recruiter to learn about future job openings at your desired company.
• Target the jobs you are most qualified for and make your messages to recruiters as clear and concise as possible.