Okay, I’m going to give you the best job search tip ever, but first we’ve
got to talk about all the bad job search tips that are out there! And it’s a
lot! A LOT!
Let’s start with the folks on TikTok – this is just one example:
Okay, first, I’m not slamming on Giovanna. Our girl got something that
really excited her, and she’s going with it. Thankfully, in the comments, the
real HR and TA pros came through and gave some perspective.
First, just because one HR person does their process one way doesn’t mean an
entire industry of millions of HR/TA pros do it this way. That should have been
obvious, but apparently it wasn’t. Second, most HR/TA pros will post jobs when
they can/have to because of today’s algorithms on Indeed/LinkedIn/Etc. It
doesn’t matter the day. It did, like, 8 years ago, but it doesn’t now. Also,
any recruiter worth their salt will tell you that they look at resumes every
single day because great talent gets picked off fast.
Here’s another one, and this one actually is smart for those who can pull it off:
Okay, now we’re talking real job search hacks. If companies are going to use AI to scan, filter, and rank, you’ve got to play the game! In high-volume, where there are hundreds if not thousands of candidates, this actually works. Eventually, the AI vendors will catch up to this, and it won’t work. But take advantage while you can.
The Best Job Search Tip Ever?
Some of the job search/candidate advice “experts” in our space call this the hidden job market. It’s not hidden. It’s just understanding the reality of how many jobs get filled. Let me give you a quick rundown:
- A manager needs to hire someone.
- Before they even contact HR or Recruiting, they’ll think about who they know first. Maybe someone already on their team or someone else in the company. Maybe it’s someone they have in their network or someone who works for them in their network. All of this is done before the job is even posted.
- At some point, to get someone hired, they have to contact HR/TA. Some companies will have posting requirements, but at the end of the day, the lowest amount of friction always wins. This means that if the manager tells HR they already have identified someone, that person will almost always win.
- So, for intents and purposes, the job is filled before it’s even posted, no matter how great your resume or application is.
- This is the hidden job market.
How do you break into this? You network the sh!t out of yourself! You use every single connection you have. Your friends have. Your parents have. You let people know if something opens up, you want to be considered, and then you keep letting them know.
A lot of the hidden job market comes down to timing and relationships. It has little to do with skills, performance, and experience. That’s because, usually, no matter who you hire, the job will still get done at a satisfactory level. And putting in the extra time and effort to get someone who is a little better isn’t worth the work.
That’s the real 411.
When some youngin’ asks me for advice, I tell them the only way to get the job of your “dreams” is to network into the company. Use the tools you have at your fingertips, LInkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Google, etc. Find the right person you need to network with and reach out to them. Offer to take them to coffee before work, after work get a drink with them, offer your help, not for a job, but in anything. If they like you, they are more likely to hire you.
I’ve always called this “backdoor hiring”