7 Hidden job hunting avenues that will give you a better chance of securing your next IT job

Only around 30% to 40% of the job openings are advertised, and this avenue is highly competitive as many will be trying this avenue. The remaining 60% to 70% is a hidden job market where you proactively approach the potential employers for possible openings. This avenue can be harder without the right skills, but less competitive as not many will be tapping into them.


#1. Industry Forums: IT jobs wanted, programming jobs wanted, Java jobs wanted, .Net jobs wanted, and PHP jobs wanted online forums by making a statement about you. These forums are frequented by industry experts and influential professionals.


#2. Industry Events: Attending IT industry specific user groups (e.g. JUG - Java User Groups), events (e.g. Java Conference) , walk-in interviews and open sessions conducted for freshers with a number of copies of your cover letter, resume, and your self-taught projects on a CD or USB to handout to your prospective employers. Make sure that your cover letter and resume has URL links to your blog, online portfolio, and git hub repository. Become a member of your industry sites and user groups to get up to date news.


#3. Cold Calling: Building a good rapport with a number of recruitment agents, and convincing them with your effective cover letter and resume to do a door knocking on your behalf. You can do it yourself, but the recruiters do have better contacts, and can provide a win/win outcome for both.


#4. Job Boards: Creating an account with LinkedIn.com and other job portals/boards like

• Glassdoor.com
• US.jobs
• CareerBuilder.com
• TweetMyJobs.com
• Google for more...

Upload your resumes to job portals and subscribe to the right groups in LinkedIn (e.g. Java users) where recruiters frequently post vacancies.




#5. Unpaid Work: Find a part-time volunteer work in IT. This has a number of benefits.

1. Some volunteer jobs will turn into paid jobs if you can impress the employer.
2. You may meet influential people, which otherwise not possible to get any leads into other companies.
3. You will gain some much needed hands-on experience in IT to add to your resume.
4.  Shows that you are committed to your field, and has not been idle during your job hunting.

Don't over commit yourself, and only 2 to 3 days a week will do as your main focus should be on finding a paid job


#6. Networking: Keep in touch with your former colleagues, bosses, and mentors via LinkedIn and other social media. When you are ready to change jobs, contact them. When trying your network, never come across as being desperate. Just seek career advise and esquire about their work as a casual chat over a meal or coffee, and try to sell yourself with your accomplishments. No body will give you a job  feeling sorry for you. You will only get  a job if someone believes in your ability.


#7. Software Houses: There a number of software houses and consultancies that conduct comprehensive recruitment process throughout the year to attract the right candidates even when there are no immediate vacancies . They screen you first, and then contact you when vacancies arise. Even if you don't get the job, going through their stringent recruitment process in itself a good experience to have. For example, Atlassian, Thoughtworks, etc.


Job hunting in itself a full time job. The more resumes you send out, and more targeted they are, and more avenues you tap into, the better chance you will have securing your next IT job.