Applying for in-demand jobs can be a cutthroat competition, but there are a few ways you can get a head start from dozens or even hundreds of applicants. It involves a bit of legwork, but this method could pay dividends in the long run.
There are the traditional main paths to employment; like applying for a position online or emailing in your resume, but there’s a far lesser-known way to put yourself in front of an employer. All it takes is a few phone calls.
Jennifer Westra is the team leader at Agilec Innisfil, and she explains what they call the “hidden job market.” These are positions which are not competitive; jobs which haven’t been posted for the masses yet.
She advises job seekers that simple cold calls to employers might open a door to an interview, or even a position. All you have to do is ask an employer three simple questions: “Are you hiring?,” “What is the position?,” and “Is it posted?”
“It’s all about strategy,” Westra said. “You have to think outside the box because everybody is taking the main road applying for jobs. It’s helpful when you can try to do something a little bit different because you might get noticed.”
While it’s true that owners and hiring managers are usually busy, a brief phone call asking these simple questions can unearth some useful information. And it doesn’t involve divulging a lot of information. “Are you currently hiring?” can be a quick and painless conversation if the answer is “not right now.”
But if the place of business is currently hiring or they have a position coming up in the future, that’s your inside track to know about this position before anybody else.
“You might have eliminated all competition by saying: ‘I’m in that industry; can I send you a resume?’ They haven’t even posted the job yet, so you’ve found a job where there’s zero competition,” Westra said.
This is a miniature form of networking; learning contacts and asking if they might hire in the future. The truth is, if you have the skills and experience, employers are more than willing to speak to you.
Those in charge of hiring might actually appreciate hearing from you, as it could provide them with a suitable candidate without having to go through the hiring process. At the very least, it puts your resume on the radar for any openings in the future.
“Right now, your job is to find a job if you want to secure a job. You have to work for it. If you’ve been handing out resumes over and over again and nobody’s calling you back, you might want to try something different.”
For more tips and tricks on tapping into the hidden job market, speak with an Agilec job coach in Innisfil. Drop in anytime or visit Agilec.ca.