This ”other 80%” represents what we refer to as ”the hidden job market,” a job-search term that covers all the work opportunities out there that you find out about, go after and secure before and sometimes without the competition of anyone else! And, elusive as it may seem, this process isn’t really that hard to achieve. Let’s see how.

First, let’s try and re-evaluate the job-search process: the employer has an opening and sets out to find an employee (hopefully, me!) We’re all familiar with that procedure. But what if we were to reverse that dynamic to: I, the job seeker, set out to find my ideal employer? After all, employers need good reliable staff just as much as I need work that fits me, don’t they?  So there’s a good starting point: what is work that fits me?

The idea is that we’ll be approaching employers and suggest that adding us to their team will profit their business. Therefore, it is logical that we know what specific skills and talents we can offer the employer. This may require some self-exploration: what am I really good at? What are the skills and/or experiences I have that would benefit an employer? Once we have a good idea of who we are and what we’re good at, we begin to research what kind of work environment would allow us to put these skills and experiences into play. This will take some more research as we hope to learn as much about the company as we can. Do I agree with the company’s values and work tactics? Do they have the kind of work I want to do? Once we’ve got this match figured out, we know what position we’re targeting so let’s go get it!

Easier said than done, right? It’s true, essentially now we need to figure out how to get the company to see the advantage of hiring us. This goal may not seem any different from replying to a job posting but here’s a thought: right now, nobody else is targeting a position with this company.

Step one:  Let’s introduce ourselves as someone who has done their homework on the company, who is motivated to work there and who has genuinely something to offer as a member of their team. It has been found that the most effective way to do this is through informational interviews which, amongst other benefits, are a brilliant way to make a contact in that company.

Contacts are an essential part of this job search process. Be conscious of developing a broad and current network of contacts after all, we will need these to stay informed of openings (as we are not waiting for them to appear in the classifieds anymore!). Furthermore, employers tend to first think of suitable people they already know for upcoming opportunities.  Therefore, network, network, network!

Summing up, what if we thought of this whole process as the football player who gets in the right place on the field at the right time to receive that perfect pass for a touch-down? Remember, find out who you are. Find out what work you want to do. Find a company that’s a good match for this. Then, set a game plan to get on that company’s radar. Sooner or later (sometimes sooner than you think!) the opportunity rolls in. And of course it would, after all you’ve done so much focused work to get it.