Hidden job offers

75% of jobs are filled through the so-called hidden job market That's according to estimates. Many vacancies do not go to traditional recruitment channels, such as advertisements on Internet portals or direct offers from the employer. So where and how to look for a job if these strategies are not enough? Or is it worth considering how to make the labour market more transparent? This situation shows a double problem: both for aspiring potential employees who are not aware of certain recruitment routes, and for employers who are looking for recruitment portals that make it easier for them to match candidates with offers. Many companies choose to use alternative forms of recruitment, such as referral programs or recommendations.Among other reasons, recruitment for some positions takes place informally - through referrals or through the direct initiative of a person interested in the position.

From the Candidate's Perspective part of the job offers remain hidden and available only outside the mainstream of recruitment. Therefore, it is recommended to search for a job “on your own”, e.g. through so-called spontaneous applications, which consist of initiating contact (e.g. sending an email directly to the recruitment department), expanding your networking network, as well as participating in job fairs and industry conferences. These actions can increase the chances of reaching offers that are not published in traditional recruitment channels.

Lack of transparency

It is often said that the approach described above is perceived by the employer as an advantage of the candidate - proof of his proactivity, commitment and willingness to work. However, it is worth noting that behind the practices networking and exploitation Informal recruitment channels negative phenomena can also be hidden, such as nepotism, favoritism whether “Taking care” of work after acquaintance. Although networking and developing professional relationships in a given environment can be beneficial for both parties, the question should be asked: to what extent such practices are ethical and transparent?

To better understand this issue, it is worth looking at the competencies of applicants for a given position. A person with extensive hard skills, but an introverted personality, may have less chance of successful networking leading to a desired job offer. On the other hand, for a candidate with developed so-called “soft skills” and a more extroverted nature, the process of establishing professional contacts can be much easier, despite the fact that his qualifications may be weaker than that of the first candidate.

Such situations highlight an important problem — inequality in access to professional opportunities. As a result, recruitment based on informal relationships can lead to an underestimation of those who are more competent but less active in the area of networking. That is why it is so important to strive for greater transparency and fairness in recruitment processes, where real skills and competences play a key role, not just the ability to establish relationships.

Referral Programs

More and more companies are implementing referral systems that offer additional bonuses to employees recommending friends for work. These programs can bring many benefits if conducted in a thoughtful and ethical manner. It is crucial that the HR department actively participates in the recruitment process, rather than shifting responsibility entirely to employees. In this form, referral programs allow you to effectively match new candidates to the needs of the organization, which can bring mutual benefits - both to the company and to the referring employees.

However, these programs also carry some risks. One of them is the over-delegation of the tasks of the HR department to employees, which can lead to overloading them with responsibilities unrelated to their position. Another danger is the possibility of pathological practices associated with bonus systems. In some companies, referral bonuses or other benefits became the main source of income for employees because their basic salary was too low to ensure financial stability. Such situations led to pressure to achieve bonuses at the expense of health and quality of life — people who were ill or struggling with difficult personal situations were exposed to stress, discipline and a significant reduction in income.

Similar risks can occur with referral programs if they are not properly designed. It is important that they are only seen as additional support and reward for employees, not as a substitute for standard recruitment processes or as a tool for exerting pressure. Ethics and transparency should be a priority in implementing such solutions.

How to facilitate the recruitment process?

The hidden job market can have some advantages; the aforementioned networking is an option for employers and employees to expand their network of contacts and make new acquaintances useful also in the recruitment process, but it is also worth taking advantage of new technological features that support recruitment through portals dealing with mediation between employers and candidates.

To implement changes in the labor market that increase transparency and facilitate recruitment, you can use the solutions we have implemented as a service Jobs Door. Our portal offers employers, among others:

• Time of access to received CVs in Jobs Door ATS (the ability to quickly and easily view applications in the system, with the option to sort by criteria such as required qualifications or experience).
• Visualization of the recruitment process (graphic representation of recruitment stages, such as CV selection, interviews or hiring decisions, which allows better monitoring of progress).
• Ability to use your own ATS (integration with recruitment management systems that employers already have, allowing data to be synchronized between systems).
• Application Management in Kanban Methodology (an intuitive way to manage candidate applications with Kanban boards that allow you to easily move applications between the different stages of the recruitment process, e.g. “Under consideration”, “Invited to interview”, “Hired”).

These functionalities not only facilitate the recruitment process, but also allow for a more transparent and effective management of candidacies.

summary

The hidden job market has its pros and cons — on the one hand it allows you to build professional relationships and makes it easier to match candidates, but on the other hand it leads to inequality and restricts access to offers. Technology solutions such as those offered by Jobs Door can significantly improve the transparency and efficiency of recruitment, supporting both employers and candidates in accessing a more transparent labour market.

Sources

1. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/jobs-and-experience/finding-jobs-and-internships/hidden/
2. https://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/opportunities/careers/employment-information/job-searching-tips/the-hidden-job-market
3. https://managementconsulted.com/hidden-job-market/
4. https://businessinsider.com.pl/praca/ukryty-rynek-pracy-nowa-droga-do-kariery/zrrqhmx