Hidden jobs
Many job vacancies are not advertised through recruitment agencies or newspapers. These opportunities are often called "the hidden job market". People often find out about these jobs through word of mouth.
When you are looking for a job, make sure you use all your contacts and follow up every possible lead. You never know just when or from where the next job will appear.
Be aware of all your networking opportunities. Start with the people you know best. Find out more from Using Social Networking to job hunt.
Make sure that your family and friends know that you are looking for a job. Ask them to tell you if they hear of any vacancies that might be of interest to you. Remember, although they might not be in a position to help you directly, they may have contacts who can.
You may have hobbies and interests which involve meeting a range of people; make the most of these as opportunities to network.
Informal contacts can also produce job leads. A casual conversation at the hairdresser or in a supermarket check-out queue could result in a valuable lead for you to follow up.
The key to effective networking is about thinking ahead and using all of your contacts, whoever they may be.
