You might have heard many times that a lot of roles are not advertised anywhere. Some experts in the UK say that up to 70% jobs are never advertised. If we look to other countries that level can rise up to 80% or 90% and some industries are more prone than others.
It is not only what it has been outlined above but also we have to add the current work market situation- in some fields great number of candidates for each role advertised-. Taking in consideration this situation job hunters might want to widen their job searching strategies. In Spain one you tube video of a young Spaniard singing his CV in the tube became a hit and he achieved his objective of being contracted….However if this is not what you have in mind …What can you do?
I have gathered and summarized for you this 6 steps to follow. They are aimed to graduates but I feel that they are also useful for proactive job seekers who are combining the traditional job search approach with other job search strategies.
1.Put together a list of organisations where you would like to work. List them by sector and location (city, county, country). Find out who they are, research their websites, published articles and specialized magazines. Later on you can scan advertised vacancies online and in the press to find out who is recruiting; even if the job doesn’t fit, the organisation might have other opportunities. Don´t forget to check their presence in blogs, Twitter and Facebook. Be aware of their business advancement
2.Create new contacts and use your existing ones: the most successful job hunter take any opportunity to build their network and increase their contacts. Events, job fairs, meeting, talks, courses…Make the most of your social circle and be alert of what happens around.
3.Your CV and Cover letter can not be sent massively in a general way to thousand employers. You need to be as specific as you can, find out your key skills that are relevant to the role, company values and don´t forget to be clear about the roles you can do and your availability.
4.Always write to a named contact: It is also very important that you get the name of the relevant person you need to send your application. If you fail to find the name through social media or press then don´t hesitate to contact the company directly.
5.Match your style to the sector. If you are contacting and advertising agency for a creative position you can show it in your presentation or pitch
6.Persevere: it is normal not to receive a reply form a number of the place you approach. This may not be anything related with your application. If you can, get feedback about your CV, Cover letter and Social Media profile from people who is working in the sector or career advisers that know how to apply in your country or internationally
Some examples based in real cases:
A Mechanical Engineering UK student wanted an internship, but was not accepted by any of the large companies he applied to. He called up to 21 small engineering firms. He asked questions about their company and explained his background and interests. He managed to talk with the Managing director and 20 out of 21 could not afford a paid internship. He persisted and he was offered a paid internship by the 21st company he called.
My last client who contracted my career advise services was a Biology graduate from Spain, with a Master in Nutrition and Biotechnology and a P.H.D. She is currently working in her desired job role after developing a job search strategy that included contacting companies directly, in her case was through LinkedIn. Most of the steps mentioned here were important for her to achieve her objective ( CV, Cover letter, networking and interview training).
Information extracted from “How to find and apply to unadvertised jobs“ http://www.careerstagged.co.uk/
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