# The "Hidden Job Market"-Does It Exist?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hidden-job-market-does-it-exist/134858>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 1, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hidden-job-market-does-it-exist/134858 "2002-11-01T16:28:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hidden-job-market-does-it-exist/134858/21 "2002-11-06T19:57:43Z")

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Hmmm…

- Never been unemployed, save by choice, since age 15, and on several occasions, held multiple jobs at once.
- Never once turned in an application for a job I didn’t _already_ have in the bag.
- Never once got a job from a newspaper or website.
- Never once got a job from a headhunter.

Yeah, the hidden job market exists, and it’s my buffet.  
🙂

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**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hidden-job-market-does-it-exist/134858/22 "2002-11-06T20:11:26Z")

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I am about to change jobs because a company I interviewed with over a year ago called me. Previously, they didn’t interview me at all and gave the job to an internal candidate. That didn’t work out and they called me about a month ago. I have a good job, so I played hardball, but they gave me everything I asked for.

This job was advertised the first time, but not at all this time. Few people can afford NOT to have their resume out there at all times.

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**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hidden-job-market-does-it-exist/134858/23 "2002-11-06T22:19:38Z")

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I feel your pain. Unemployed for 5 months and the only thing I’ve gotten going is a part time gig with a contractor who used to work for me! My last full time position was working for someone I’d known socially for years, so I definitely believe that you reap what you sow. Do a good job, treat people well (employees, customers, vendors)and you’ll be remembered. I have yet to have any success with “cold calling” approaches, newspaper ads or job web sites. Maybe I shouldn’t have changed careers to get into telecom…

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**Author:** ![andymurph64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@andymurph64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andymurph64)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hidden-job-market-does-it-exist/134858/24 "2002-11-06T23:11:25Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> by sofa king  
> All of the most interesting, best-paying jobs I’ve had came directly from personal references. The jobs I had that I got “cold” were absolutely horrendous–all of them. What paid off about those horrendous jobs was the contacts I made within them, which led to the good jobs.

Bingo!!

This has been EXACTLY my experience.

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