Hidden Job Market

Written by: Connie Huber PHR SHRM-CP

As job seekers, we use many sources to help us to find our new position. The job search is frustrating and disappointing to say the least. Our interest is peaked whenever we learn there is a source that will guide us to success. One source that we hear over and over again but know little about is the “hidden job market”. The “hidden job market” is a very stubborn statistic in the world of job seeking, or more specifically, networking. The “hidden job market” is comprised of 80% of those jobs that are never advertised.

Keynote Speaker

Exposing the Hidden Job Market
Abby Kohut, @Absolutely_Abby

Abby challenged us by asking how we would go about hiring a nanny. For all of us, our children are very dear to our hearts and we take every effort in making sure our children are protected. In filling a position, employers want to find the perfect candidate that will be an asset to their organization.

WHY NOT POST THE POSITION?
There are a number or reasons why employers would not elect to post the position. Those factors include:
• Trust Factor
• Cost of Advertising
• Deluge of Resumes
• Tipping Off the Competition
• Position is Confidential

STEPS FOR FILLING A JOB
In filling a position, there are several steps and considerations in determining how to fill a job.
• Consider present employees-anyone qualified and/or interested.
• Consider past employees.
• Employee recommendations.
• Search Applicant Tracking System, Monster or LinkedIn.
• Post internally.
• Post the job.

A SMORGASBORD OF IDEAS
Abby’s goal was to wet our appetite in ways to discover hidden opportunities.
ALLOW FOR SERENDIPITY

THE NEVER ENDING INTERVIEW
• During your job search, you should tell everyone you meet that you are looking for a job. Be sure to let those individuals know what you do.
• Church, Alumni Groups, the gym, Associations, fraternities, friends, family, co-workers and neighbors are all great resources for you to connect and inform of your job search goals.
• Other contacts that have led to a job offer have been while getting a haircut, washing your car, the exterminator and a neighbor while taking out the trash.

“I AM BETWEEN SUCCESSES!”
When people ask us what we do, we quickly reply, “I am unemployed!” Abby encouraged us to reframe our response to “I am between successes!” Doing so places the job searcher in a more positive light and makes you a more desirable candidate.

SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR COMPANIES WHO DON’T KNOW THAT THEY HAVE THEM.
Abby shared the story of a women who had shopped at a major drugstore chain and never had an employee share with her the company’s savings and rewards program. The customer who was very talented in marketing proceeded to reach out to the company’s CEO and shared her ideas on how to present the program to customers. In return, the customer was flown to the corporate office to personally share her ideas with the CEO. By the end of her visit the company had created a job for her and extended the offer to the woman.

DELIVER A PRESENTATION
Take time and establish how to save money for a company. Determine a value proposition and what you do better than someone else. Put your ideas into a presentation and deliver to one of the following:
• Association/Organization
• Chamber of Commerce
• Alumni Event
• SHRM Event
Your audience can open potential opportunities to you to perform contract or full-time employment.

TAKE/TEACH A CLASS
This activity offers a wealth of networking opportunities. You will meet fellow professionals in your field. The company usually pays for expensive classes. You could very well connect with someone who could give you an invaluable lead or introduction.

INTERESTING HOBBIES
• Beekeeping
• Stamp Collecting
• Ballroom Dancing
• Plane Spotting
• Needlepoint
• Ping Pong
Your hobbies can introduce you to hidden opportunities.

FILL THE TIME GAPS
Employers view employment gaps in a negative light. Seek out ways to make your time productive and offer the possibility of hidden jobs. Some ideas are:
• Take or teach a class.
• Volunteer
• Take care of children or family.
On your resume be sure to note the reason for the time gap.

HIGHLIGHT YOUR INTERESTS
Be sure to highlight your interests on your resume. The person reading your resume may share similar passions or it may peak his/her rationale in meeting you.

USE LINKEDIN EFFECTIVELY TO OPEN DOORS
LinkedIn sends notifications to you informing you of your network’s birthdays, new jobs and work anniversaries. Seize the moment to send a congratulatory note and invite the professional to a cup of coffee. Wait a week after you receive the reminder so your request does not get missed in all the other comments.

HOBNOB WITH THE C-SUITE…..CEO, CFO, COO
The best venues for these connections are the following.
• Paid Seminars/Events
• Conferences
• Church
• Golf Course
• Volunteer
• Buy Stock….Doing so will get you an invitation to the shareholders meeting.
You may get a price reduction in seminars/events and conferences by asking if there is a discount if you are unemployed.

SUGGESTIONS TO CAPTURE RECRUITERS’ ATTENTION
Abby shared some unique ways to get noticed.
• TESTIMONIALS
Ask your friends and co-workers both current and past if they are willing to give a testimonial on how great you are as a professional. Offer free pizza and film their thoughts on you. Place the session on YouTube and attach it to your LinkedIn profile.
You can also film your own video and highlight the top 10 reasons why an employer should hire you.
• FACEBOOK AD
You can place an ad on Facebook to get a potential employer to notice you. The best way to do so is to place the ad directly on the desired employer’s Facebook page. Place ads one at a time.
• BILLBOARD
Buy space on a billboard and feature your skills and desired job. One job seeker had 4 job offers in 4 months.
• GOOGLE AD
You can buy an ad on Google for $6. If interested in learning more, google “The Google Job Experiment” to read more about one job seekers success.
• CHOCOLATE RESUME
Make your resume unique. Yes, there has been a job seeker who made a chocolate resume! For more details google “chocolate resume”.

Best wishes in discovering the hidden job market!

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Michael Jordan

Hiring Companies

Arizona Department of Economic Security
Katherine Arnsbarger, Senior Recruiter

DES works with families, community organizations, advocates and state federal partners to realize its vision that every child, adult and family in the state of Arizona will be safe and economically stable. DES helps Arizonians reach their potential through temporary assistance for those in need, and care for the vulnerable. The agency’s culture is highlighted by teamwork, respect, integrity, accountability and diversity. There are six divisions at DES including Aging and Adult Services, Early Intervention Services, Benefits and Medical Eligibility, Child Support Services, Employment and Rehabilitation Services and Developmental Disabilities. The benefits are robust and focus attention on Career Development. Career fields are many and include Dental Care, Administrative, Graphics and Design, Health Care, Human Resources, Procurement, Security and Safety, and Warehouse. There are currently multiple opportunities and openings. If interested in learning more and applying, go to this website.

Trinity Services Group
Nancy Lee-Stanford, Talent Acquisition/Recruiter Arizona

Trinity Services is the leading food, commissary and technology provider to the corrections industry. The organization serves anywhere from 200-1,000 inmates three times a day. Trinity is currently hiring Food Service Directors, Asst. Food Service Directors, Unit Manager and more. Benefits are many and include training opportunities. New employees become fully vested after 30 days of employment. Employees have the ability to grow and develop professionally. To learn more about Trinity and employment possibilities, visit the career page at Trinity Services Group.

Ashton Tiffany
Tom Carr, HR Director

Ashton Tiffany has been in Phoenix since 1995. The organization is about fun and professional culture, operational excellence, financial strength and outstanding reputation. Ashton Tiffany are risk management consultants and help organizations reduce risk and reduce the cost of it. For the ninth year running, Ashton Tiffany was named one of Phoenix’s “Best Places to Work” by the Phoenix Business Journal. Current opportunities include Senior Accountant, Internal Auditor, Senior Benefits Consultant, Front Desk Receptionist, Property Claims Adjuster, Multi-lines Claims Adjuster and School Bus Driver Trainer. Joining Ashton Tiffany will provide you with numerous benefits and an award winning culture. Desired skills include attitude and aptitude. For more details visit their website.

Vanguard
Renee Brown, Senior Recruiter

Vanguard’s rich heritage is powerfully evoked by its logo, the image of a ship. The company is named for a distinguished 18th-century vessel. Meaning “in the forefront,” the name has proven quite fitting as they have grown to become a leader in serving investors. From its start in 1975, Vanguard has stood out as a very different kind of investment firm. Vanguard was founded on a simple but revolutionary idea—that a mutual fund company should not have outside owners. Founder John C. Bogle structured Vanguard as a client-owned mutual fund company with no outside owners seeking profits. Vanguard has 16 locations worldwide with more than 14,000 crew members. The Scottsdale location has 3,000 employees. Positions are entry level to management and include openings such as client relationship specialist, processing associate, retirement plan service representative, financial advisor and team leader roles. Most jobs require a license. Benefits begin on day 1 and are robust including some unique offerings such as pet insurance, cell phone discounts, car services and dining. Great efforts are taken to ensure that employees have a work life balance. To learn more about employment opportunities at Vanguard go the careers page.

Resources

City of Phoenix
Rob Stenson, Supervisor, Business & Workforce Development Center

Rob reminded the group of the purpose of Arizona@Work, “provide resources that link qualified workers to quality employers”. There are a number of Job Centers located around the valley. Those centers offer job search and workforce development; and business services. Rob highlighted the different skill development packages offered by the City of Phoenix. Those include Seminars available to the public; Level 1 Package-Skills Match the Job Market; and Level 2 Package-Research Pathways to Higher Wages. Seminars include: Arizona Job Connection (AJC), How to Create a Winning Resume, Perfecting Your Interviewing Skills, Mock Interview Lab, Understanding LinkedIn, Leveraging LinkedIn, 21st Century Job Search Seminar, and Job Clubs. The 3-day sessions are focused on ways to jumpstart your job search. Topics discussed are Social Skills, Creating and Implementing a Job Search Plan, Interviewing, and Long Term Career Management. The 3-hour session emphasizes Employability. Rob reminded us of the two sources for potential job opportunities including the AZ Job Connection or Maricopa Career Planning System. Phoenix Public Library has a number of E-Resources available. With your Phoenix Public Library Card you can attend nearly 500 online classes, adult learning center, video resume, learning languages and career guidance center.

Coder Camps
Jason Jones, Admission Representative

Coder Camps prepares students for a career in software development with immersive coding bootcamps, online instruction, and career placement support. Graduates are equipped with a practical knowledge of full-stack software development, interview skills and a portfolio demonstrating their abilities. Coder Camps’ accelerated learning programs are offered full-time, part-time and online. The school is the only code camp to offer graduates lifetime access to all courses, a community of developers, and career services for free.

Closing

Jessica Pierce, Executive Director, Career Connectors, closed the meeting by thanking North Phoenix Baptist Church and the volunteers. The next Career Connectors meeting will be in Scottsdale on Thursday, February 9, 2017 and features Andy Ridley as speaker for the topic “How to Work a Job Fair” For additional information on this event and future events, please visit the event page.