Hunting job search sites for open positions can seem like the problem of "water everywhere and not a drop to drink"--seekers scroll through page after page of supposedly available jobs, spotting repeats between different sites and frequently viewing jobs that have already been filled.
Meanwhile, an equally-sized job pool goes totally unannounced.
According to a study by job match site TheLadders, only about half of all available job openings are ever advertised publicly. This seems hard to believe, particularly when considered against the dual drumbeat of the many Americans who are still seeking full employment and the employers lamenting the lack of viable available talent.
But from the perspective of recruiters there's a method, as it turns out, to the seeming madness. The two most coveted characteristics any job seeker can possess, in the eyes of a hiring manager, are relevance and intent, i.e., the right qualifications for the job and readiness for hire. When a job is posted online, hundreds, sometimes thousands, of applications pour in, all from individuals eager to fill the listed position but not necessarily possessing relevant skills or experience.
Alternatively, when recruiters decide not to post a job and, rather, to comb their networks internet for available talent, the relevance factor is amplified, but many potential candidates will lack intent. This qualified professional who may need to be wooed away from their current position tends to be more attractive to recruiters.
According to Shankar Mishra, Vice President of Data Science and Analytics at TheLadders, most of these "hidden jobs" are concentrated at the vice president level and above.
The takeaway for job seekers?
Keep burnishing that increasingly important personal brand. Anything you want made apparent about yourself to recruiters needs to be prominently featured online across professional outlets and networking platforms.
(Essentially, you're looking to become the most attractive needle in a significant haystack.)
"The conclusion is that people who are looking for jobs have to have a visible brand," says Mishra. "Without a visible brand they’re missing out on almost half the opportunities."
