Yes, it’s a myth that this type of job market has gone away. Many companies utilize referrals/word of mouth to save money, and some search you out on tools like LinkedIn for the same reason. For those that only advertise their jobs on their company job board and not on Indeed or Monster, aggregators like www.getwork.com can help you find them. Use all tools available to you to find a new job.

The covert, hidden job market has always been a thing and is still a thing. Someone tells a friend or colleague about a job they know is going to open, or is unadvertised but open. Then “someone” makes a call or emails, and before you know it, “someone” networks their way to coffee and a new job. That is why casting a wide networking net is key to finding and securing a hidden job..

Most positions are filled via networking, which makes sense since anywhere from 50-80% of jobs are not posted online. By targeting companies, not jobs, you create farther-reaching employment opportunities for yourself—less competition—and build connections with people who can serve as valuable referral sources down the road.

Surveys show consistently that around 2/3 of jobs never make it to the job boards. These “hidden” jobs are filled internally, through referrals, or even created for specific skilled people. The most successful method for uncovering these jobs is via “networking.” Build relationships with people at companies so they can alert you to those hidden opportunities.

Yes it is. The saying is still true that 80%ish of jobs are not posted online. They are in the hands of headhunters, exec recruiters, or are created and filled when someone pitches the value they can deliver if a role was created for them.