There are two main ways "travel" when looking for career oriented employment
opportunities. You can set out on the open highway and search for jobs in the open
market or take the back roads, focusing on the less traveled, hidden market. Job postings
in the open market are often posted on the Internet "highway" and viewed by many.
Therefore, each posting generates many applications…increasing the competition that
your resume will be up against. The hidden job market is comprised of
jobs that are not widely advertised – ones that are often found by meandering through
referrals made by network contacts.
While it's tempting to jump on the open highway, surveys indicate that only about 20%
of jobs are advertised. The remaining 80% are filled through networking and contacting
employers directly to inquire about opportunities. For many, the best plan is to pursue
jobs in both markets but to allocate the majority of their time looking for leads through
network contacts.
Looking for Job Openings in the Open Market?
Looking for Job Openings in the Hidden Market?
Steps for finding Jobs in the Open Market
- Participate in on-campus recruiting to meet with employers who are visiting the
Ohio State campus. To begin this process, you need to first register for FutureLink.
- Identify job-listing resources that correspond with your target career fields.
Recommended resources include
- The Job Hunter's Sourcebook (available in the Career Resource Library; 48 Townshend Hall)
- The Riley Guide's Where to Search reference
- Virginia Tech's Web Sites for Specific Career Fields
- Be selective in what you apply to, focusing on postings that are in line with your
interests, values, and qualifications. Likewise, be selective about where you post your
resume. In addition to uploading your resume onto FutureLink, Arts and Sciences Career
Services recommends that you post your resume on NACElink, a primary resource used
by college recruiters. Ohio State students can access NACElink via Career Connection’s
web site at: http://careerconnection.osu.edu/undergraduate_search.asp
Steps for finding Jobs in the Hidden Market
- Create a list of companies/organizations to focus your energies on. This can be
done by sorting through the following questions:
- Which employers in your target career field(s) are growing and likely to have future openings? (Check out the Researching Employers overview for assistance with answering this question.)
- Who among your network contacts works in the career field that interests you or is likely to know someone who does?
- Which employers have a history of targeting your major when recruiting college students or recent graduates?
- Which employers in your target career fields(s) have been in the news recently, with the press focused on significant organizational changes (e.g., companies entering into new markets, announcements of mergers or new products or services, changes in upper level management). Organizational change generally presents opportunities for entry-level job seekers as existing staff transition into different positions. (An easy resource to review for business news stories is www.bizjournals.com, which will connect you to the nation's largest publisher of metropolitan business newspapers – including Columbus’ Business First.
- What is the “buzz” on the listservs associated with the career fields that interest you? Which employers are being favorably discussed among professionals working in the field? Some listservs allow you to sign up to receive e-mail listings of job openings, so make sure you familiarize yourself with at least a couple of listservs related to your career interests. (A helpful overview of accessing and utilizing listservs during the job search is found at http://www.rileyguide.com/enetwork.html.)
- Distribute your resume to the human resources staff and hiring managers within
your target organizations. Review the sample cover letters below. Then meet with one
of the office’s Career Advisors for guidance on reaching out to prospective
employers.
- Follow up with all organizations that you submit your resume to. Do not wait for
someone to call you. It is essential that you call to:
- show your interest in working for that particular organization
- begin the process of developing a professional relationship with the contact
- obtain information on your prospects of being interviewed (does the organization actually have an open position or anticipated openings?
