Hidden jobs: How to find the 80% of jobs not posted
New data for Hawaii’s unemployment rate is out. In October, Hawaii had a 2.2 percent jobless rate, the lowest on record. Still, if you’re searching for a new job, an employment expert has tips on where else you can look besides classified ads and official postings.
While most people generally search for employment online, employment expert Rob Wilson estimates 80 percent of jobs are not posted on jobs boards like Monster and CareerBuilder. “Known as the ‘hidden jobs’ market, these positions are often more lucrative, and they often involve less competition,” adds Rob Wilson, who is the president of Employco USA, a nationwide employment solutions firm. “If you want access to these job opportunities, you have to have connections. You can’t just hop onto Craigslist and see the job posting.”
How does Wilson suggest that job-seekers find these desirable jobs? “There is no replacement for in-person connections,” says Wilson. “Yet networking events can often be a bust, as most people at these events will be job-seekers such as yourself. This doesn’t mean that this won’t be valuable and a good way for you to brush up on your speaking skills, but really, the people who hire folks aren’t going to be at a networking event on a Thursday night.”
Wilson believes the real power of networking lies in temp agencies and part-time positions. “You need to get in the door. You need to get out of the hotel lobby networking over a plastic cup of red wine, and into the office where you can prove your mettle and earn those relationships day-in, day-out. Not to mention, employment solutions firms can help to ensure that you aren’t left with large gaps in your resume or your skill-set.”
Wilson also believes temp agencies and employment firms are a boon for employers as well. “It gives you a chance to take a risk on people you wouldn’t normally go for,” he explains. “Maybe you meet someone who has very little experience, but you just have a strong feeling about their potential and work ethic. A temp position gives you the chance to test them out and to see how they respond to your company culture.”
Do you agree with this? Have you ever found a job via a temp agency or been offered a full-time job as a result of starting as a part-timer? I think it’s sound advice if you can swing it (not everyone has the luxury of working just part-time in hopes of becoming full-time), but curious what others’ experiences have been!
