Career Advice

We all know about the hidden job market. We also know that it holds the largest share of jobs in the market. But most of the time we fail to tap into the enormous power of the hidden job market to land job interviews.

Why?

Because job seekers are not proactive about networking in a strategic and targeted way.

Networking is the holy grail for the hidden job market. The more powerful network of professionals you have in your industry, the more job opportunities will flock your way.

So, if you were among the ones who were afraid of networking or had no idea how to do it, this is the article you will ever need!

Here we will discuss the three most effective ways of performing professional networking that will enable you with much more interviews from the hidden job market.

1. Network with Your Dream Companies

Why is networking so important? Networking creates long and lasting relationships with others. It’s about making connections and leveraging each other’s knowledge and contacts for professional gain. The more people you know in your circle, the more valuable your network is. You should build a strong network to:

• Boost your career prospects.
• Find unadvertised jobs.
• Find new opportunities.
• Seek valuable advice and information.

But what’s the most effective way of networking? It’s targeted networking. Note that networking doesn’t always have to be in a formal setting. There are tons of ways you can build a strong network such as:

• By referrals from friends and family.
• Through social media such as Facebook.
• At career fairs and industry events.
• By attending social events.

Take the time to find the right networking strategy and focus on making it a great experience.

Be patient while creating a network of top-quality contacts because networks aren’t built overnight. Here are a few tips for building and maintaining a professional network to help your career grow.

• Be specific with your goals and targets to make sure you get quality connections.
• Try not to reach out only to the top people in your industry; instead, focus on your immediate peers. They are the ones who can provide opportunities as you go along.
• Identify and make a list of your dream companies and try to learn all you can about them.
• Put yourself out there and try connecting with as many people as you can in those companies and related professionals.
• Think outside the box and expand your networking efforts beyond your company. The greater the number, the more access you have to information.
• Try also to focus on one-to-one relationships as they can be more effective.
• Reach out to your alumni association. You already have the college experience in common and it makes for an easy conversation starter.
• Keep in constant touch with your connections to show commitment to your professional development. So, keep lines of communication open.

Often, the ground rules for networking are unclear and there’s a big difference between aimless networking and intentional networking. The key to effective networking is to make the right connections with the right people.

1. Find a Mentor in Your Ideal Role

Having a mentor can help you gain the skills and connections you need to grow in your career. Whether for personal or professional growth or career goals, mentors play a valuable role in your career journey. Although you are in charge of your own development, mentors serve as important resources and offer wise counsel and support.

Why is having a mentor important? We live in a connected world that constantly requires additional skills and knowledge to keep up with the ever-changing trends. This also includes the ability to learn from new people and experiences. You will need advisors and mentors in different contexts to provide valuable insights into professional situations, opportunities, and career goals.

Having a mentor means, you have:

• Someone to help identify opportunities and resources to build key skills.
• Access to meaningful industry insights and expertise to fuel growth.
• Someone who can help you grow your professional network through referrals and connections.
• Someone on your side to help you channel your career goals into actionable steps.
• A reliable source for a letter of recommendation.
• Support throughout the job search process and beyond.

Your relationship with a mentor is kind of a symbiotic relationship. Just as you learn from them, they also learn from you. Having a mentor on your side can be a valuable resource as you move up the career ladder. Even the most successful people have to learn how to apply their talents in different ways as their careers take shape. Part of that experience often includes having a mentor.

How do you find a mentor? Now that you have learned about how mentoring relationships can be a powerful tool for career growth, the question now is how to find one. The key to choosing a career mentor is to find the right one. Follow these tips to find the right mentor who can support you and provide actionable insights into all kinds of professional situations.

• Identify your mentoring needs before choosing a career mentor.
• Start with your personal network such as professional associations, family connections, your workplace, volunteer groups, and so on.
• Research the field you’re in and identify the top people in it.
• Learn everything you can about their background, education, experience, common interests, skills, and everything in between.
• Join professional networks, whether online or in person. This will help you connect with the right people.
• Whether you’re new to an industry or changing careers, it may be a good idea to find and connect with someone with a similar set of strengths and skills you want to emulate.
• You can always connect with people you already know. They can make good mentors or they can help you connect with some good mentors.
• Be patient while reaching out. Your potential mentors might be busy and it could probably take a while before you get a response.
• Do not hesitate to ask them about their career journey and the skills they have learned throughout their professional journey.
• Try to maintain a good relationship with your mentor and get to know their personalities as you try to exhibit yours.

The advice and guidance from the right mentor can be exactly what you need and may be of great help as you navigate your career path to achieve success. A mentor offers unbiased perspective and feedback with your best interests in mind and helps you reach your professional goals. All you have to do is be proactive about your own career advancement and growth. If you can’t find a mentor within your network you can search out a career coach to fit your needs.

1. Practice and Master Interpersonal Skills

You can implement a combination of skills, qualities, and experiences to perform tasks well in order to design a career roadmap and find your career path. These can include soft skills such as interpersonal skills – the ability to interact well with other people. Interpersonal skills are very important for networking and working with people in your personal and professional life.

Why are interpersonal skills important? Communication is central to social life. It just is, and is happening all the time when people are together. People with great interpersonal skills are likely to do better on and off the job than those who lack them. Interpersonal skills are indispensable tools to get on with other people. The ability to work and interact confidently with others can be beneficial for your career growth.

Strong interpersonal skills are prerequisites for almost all professional jobs and for a successful career. People who are skilled in interpersonal communication are more likely to achieve career success. On the other hand, people who do not have effective interpersonal skills often lack self-confidence, have no sense of trust and commitment, and refuse to network with others.

Here’s how to enhance your interpersonal skills:

• Identify your weaknesses and areas for improvement.
• Self-assess yourself by seeking advice from other people.
• Teach yourself to be positive.
• Control your emotions and always express yourself in a calm way.
• Focus on your basic communication skills and be aware of the words you use.
• Become a good listener and learn to read unspoken gestures and expressions.
• Learn to relate to others. This will help you develop a sense of emotional intelligence.
• Learn to negotiate, influence, and persuade others.
• Empower yourself and you’ll have the confidence to make impactful decisions.
• Learn to handle conflicts well by showing your determination to make the conflicting situations better.
• Maintain your relationships. This shows your connections that you value the relationship.

Strong interpersonal skills can go a long way in helping you advance your career. This will help you gain allies and demonstrate to others that you are capable of bringing out the best in yourself and others. And that is a key aspect of career development. This not only enables you to effectively adapt to the changing world but also enhances your relationships, and positively affects your psychological health.

In conclusion, we can confidently say that if you embark on the journey of professional networking with these three strategies in mind, your victory over the hidden job market is certain.

Soon, you will have an extensive network of professionals in your dream companies with access to job openings that you can apply for. As a result, getting more interviews will become much faster and almost effortless on your part.

Now, all you need to do is to ace the interview and land that job that you desire!

Written by:

Emily Wittig is the Career Finder Services Manager at Find My Profession. She has experience in both reverse and traditional recruiting. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and spending time with loved ones.