Advertised positions constitute a small percentage of the jobs that are available at any given time. Because running ads and screening the high volume of applications that come in can be an expensive and time-consuming process for employers, many companies prefer to hire from within or to hire individuals who have been recommended by one of their existing employees.
To find out about unadvertised opportunities, you will want to let people know that you are looking for work, and the type of job and company you are most interested in. Tap your personal network – friends, relatives, neighbors, former employers and colleagues, fellow members of your chosen religious institution, volunteer associations, clubs and other organizations, even your doctor, dentist, and other people you talk to from time to time. Most people know at least 200 other people, so just because someone doesn’t work in your industry doesn’t mean that he or she doesn’t know of someone who does.
Many teenagers and young adults get their first jobs through connections, such as parents, teachers, siblings, friends, parents of friends, relatives, neighbors, or coaches. This tactic can work for you too!
Some businesses, particularly in the retail and restaurant industries, rarely advertise jobs because they receive so many applications on a regular basis that they are able to select people to interview from the applications they have on file.
Job fairs can be an excellent venue for meeting a large number of potential employers at one time and to network with other attendees. Go to every booth and network with the recruiters and those standing in line, since each one of the recruiters attending may know of positions within and outside their company, and each attendee may know of companies hiring. Some organizations attend these events or hold their own job fair in order to collect a large number of resumes they can refer to when a position becomes vacant, not for immediate employment.
If you’re unemployed, find out what programs and services are available in your community. The staffs of these organizations usually have good employer contacts, and sometimes employers can receive a wage subsidy or other benefit by hiring someone through such a program.
This article was co-written by Karen Silins and Janet Barclay, and their information is included below:
Karen Silins is a multi-certified resume writer, career, business and personal branding coach working with individuals and small businesses. After graduating with degrees in education and vocal performance, she made her own career transition into the Human Resources realm. Karen left Human Resources to become an entrepreneur and help jobseekers and fellow entrepreneurs achieve their goals. She keeps current regarding trends in the resume writing, coaching, HR, small business and marketing industries by working daily with individual clients on resume development and career coaching, consulting for small businesses in business plan development, marketing, hiring and overall HR processes, and providing 50-70+ seminars and workshops annually to a variety of organizations in the greater Kansas City area. She can be reached via her website at www.careerandresume.com.
Janet Barclay is a former employment counselor who helps career practitioners and other solopreneurs to maximize their online presence by creating websites and blogs as well as providing blog promotion, proofreading and editing, content management, and WordPress technical support services. She can be reached through her website OrganizedAssistant.com.