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Being Found
How to Help the Hidden Job Market Find You

By Bryan Johanson, December 6, 2006

Prior to the advent of Internet job boards, savvy job hunters who wanted to tap into the hidden job market would start by identifying recruiters who had an industry specialty. Job seekers would network directly with the recruiter to get a pulse on who was hiring and what positions were open. Recruiters would keep these candidates' names on file for a rainy day; and, when they were ready to make a move they would start dialing for dollars. The Internet has changed this landscape considerably. The job boards have indeed created a fluid marketplace for talent. However, the best talent still does not look actively; nor, do they want to be found in the resume banks on the Internet.

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Is the "Hidden" job market alive and well? Absolutely! Its nature is profoundly different, though. Some articles still cite the portion of unadvertised opportunities as high as 85%. (Totally not true in today's world.) Others quote a more realistic and modest 20%. When a position is really critical, has specialized skills, or requires a unique person or talent, it's very likely that the discriminating buyer won't want to waste time posting the position. They don't want just any candidate. They want the best. Positions that are open, but not easily visible to active job seekers, constitute the hidden job market.

Being Found

In Recruiter Boot Camp, we teach recruiters how to make their advertising on the Internet more visible. Due to advances in search technology, being found is almost more important than the quality of the ad. You could have the best value proposition in the world with the most compelling copy (and enticing graphics to dress it up), but if no one sees it you're wasting time and money. The reverse is also true. Most high quality candidates don't want to post their resume and personal information on the web. The reasons are endless. Here are just a few of the big ones:

1. They don't want their current employer to know they are looking. (Some managers are constantly looking to see which of their employees are looking for new opportunities, by searching for them on Monster and Careerbuilder. It makes for a pretty awkward discussion when a manager finds a newly polished resume out on the job boards.)
2. Savvy job seekers don't want to be lumped into the mass of "the great unwashed candidates" actively looking for a job. These people are much more discriminating. They only want to consider great opportunities.
3. Smart job seekers don't want to be contacted by every Tom, Dick or Mary recruiter looking to make a quick buck. They only want to work with qualified people, who have the inside scope on something interesting and relevant to their background.

So how do these highly qualified candidates tap into the power of the Internet without exposing themselves to the negativity of the job boards?

How can you be found?

The first step is to Google your own name. See what comes up. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you will find. The next step is to use Google to find people like you - using typical terms that a recruiter might use to search for someone with similar accomplishments and background. If you don't come up on the top of the list, then you've got some work to do! Making yourself visible requires some effort, but the rewards can be immeasurable. To do this effectively, smart candidates must become more deliberate about what is posted on their behalf on the web. Be clear about what you want to be known for and where you add unique value.

ZoomInfo is another great tool that catalogs the web identifying information about people. It finds nearly everything about an individual - including mentions or quotations from articles, blog postings or anything that's been published on the web. (Making sure that these things are visible on the web can make a big difference.) Companies spend millions of dollars a year teaching recruiters to find highly qualified passive candidates with specialized skills and abilities. They pay recruiters huge fees (up to 33%) to find "passive" candidates who aren't looking for a new job, but who have the right capabilities to get the job done. In the new world we all need to become our own publicist. You can do this with your own website and also by using other people's websites.

Other recruiting tools - like LinkedIn, Josbter, and Jigsaw - provide unique opportunities for individuals who understand the power of the Internet and networking, without having to endure the scrutiny of posting their resume on a major job board. If you haven't tried joining one of the social networks you're really missing out. LinkedIn has proven to be an outstanding source of candidates for positions above 100K. Many people on LinkedIn are willing to talk, as long as you don't waste their time with irrelevant opportunities. You don't have to join one of the major groups. Consider something a little smaller and more targeted. There are hundreds of industry specific online networking groups and blogs where you can become involved. Just posting interesting materials, in appropriate blogs, will get you picked up by tools like ZoomInfo and Google.

Just becoming aware of these opportunities to be found can have a profound impact on your career. Being found is important. If you are happily invisible to the electronic world, you need to take a second look. Highly qualified candidates, who proactively manage their web presence, can get noticed in a way that separates them from the pack.

Here's to Finding You Online!