5 Steps to Getting a Better Job in the Hidden Market

I’ve been making a big deal of late about the need for job-seekers to diversify their job hunting efforts. The big point is that no more than 20% of their efforts should be on responding to job postings. Another 20% should be on making sure their resume or LinkedIn profile is easy to find and extremely engaging. The remaining 60% needs to be on building a robust network that can help you get a job in the hidden market. In this video I make these five big points:

1. The best jobs are in the hidden market. These are the jobs that get filled before the position is posted on some job board.
2. In the hidden market you don’t need to be a perfect fit on skills and experiences if you’ve done comparable work.
3. You’ll only find jobs in the hidden market if you can get recommended for the position before it’s posted online.
4. Your resume must pass the 10-second instant review to be read.

Networking is not about meeting as many people as possible. It's about meeting a few people who will refer you to a few other people.

The video walks you step-by-step through the process of getting a job in the hidden market. As the job market heats up the best jobs will go to those who are proactive, willing to try new things, and are looking for more than a paycheck. The first step is watching the video. Here's the second step. Now you're on your own.

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Lou Adler (@LouA) is the CEO of The Adler Group, a consulting and training firm helping companies implement Performance-based Hiring. He's also a regular columnist for Inc. Magazine and BusinessInsider. His latest book, The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired (Workbench, 2013), provides hands-on advice for job-seekers, hiring managers and recruiters on how to find the best job and hire the best people. You can continue the conversation on LinkedIn's Essential Guide for Hiring Discussion Group.