My question is about finding the ‘hidden job market’ in the nonprofit sector. Tips for finding job postings, approaching organizations for info interviews, resources to learn about an organization.

First, let’s define exactly what the ‘hidden job market’ actually represents. Every day, organizations in the nonprofit sector make decisions on how they should best provide staff resources in order to fulfill their mandate. These decisions can include promoting/demoting existing employees, hiring new employees for new service programs or initiatives, restructuring departments, or a host of other reasons. At the same time, employees within these same groups are making their own career decisions, and choosing to resign their positions to move to other organizations, opting for shorter hours, retiring, etc. As soon as these decisions are made, the hidden job market has a new addition. The opportunity now exists within the organization, but very few, if any people know about it outside of senior management – hence the hidden job market. As time marches on, awareness of the position grows, and the “hidden” job market becomes more and more public, and less and less hidden. Management must now recruit suitable candidates from available resources to fill the role.

Think like a manager

What if you were the manager, and needed to quickly find a replacement worker? What would you do? If you were like most of us, you would start talking to people you know to find out if they know any suitable candidates. If that doesn’t provide a good list, you may then start broadening your search to the general public, and advertise the position on job boards (such as CharityVillage), in newspapers, or perhaps use the services of an executive recruiter.

Knowing the time to strike

In the ideal world, if you called up the hiring manager at this stage, they would be very receptive to talking to you if you fulfilled most of their core competencies for the position, and you would be maximizing your chances of being the successful candidate. Since we don’t live in the ideal world, we need other methods in order to find out about these hidden jobs before they leave the hidden job market. Just as the manager starts with people s/he knows to find suitable candidates, you should start with people you know who can help you in your job search. Write out a list of people you know who may have connections in the NFP world. It can be as simple as asking, “Do you know anyone I can talk to who works in the nonprofit sector?” I guarantee that you will find out the names of several people this way. Call these people up and ask them for 15 to 30 minutes of their time for an interview session.

Informational interviewing

The key to informational interviewing is not to confuse it with a job interview. Typically, you, the job seeker, are calling the meeting, so come prepared. You must be careful what you say here. Many people will resent feeling “used” simply for job leads, or worse, being asked directly if they have a job for you (which most likely they will not). You want ADVICE and KNOWLEDGE from these key people. Briefly describe you circumstances, and why you feel that they may be able to help you. Prepare questions you need answered, and do your research first. The web is a great resource for finding out about virtually anything. One of the key questions you should ask at the end of the interview is, “Is there anyone else out there that you feel I should be talking to?” Always thank the people who have provided you with their time and advice, and don’t neglect to follow up on any leads they have provided.

Be patient and persist

The techniques described above can be tremendously effective in finding a great job. However, they take time, energy, and persistence to implement successfully. Have a clear plan of attack – a defined strategy will make a big difference.

Get to know your market

Try to get more knowledge about your market by getting involved with industry associations or professional groups. Go out and talk to people wherever and whenever you can. Read up on organizational changes – when clever job seekers hear that “so-and-so” has been hired at the ABC Society, they find out where “so-and-so” WAS working and call for an informational interview, since that organization is most likely looking for “so-and-so’s” replacement.

Michael Mayne, M.B.A., CMA, is Managing Partner and a Certified Professional Career Counsellor at Catalyst Careers, a Career Transition, Counselling, and Outplacement firm. Michael has been involved in the not-for-profit sector for many years, and is currently President of ALS Canada. To contact Michael, visit: www.catalystcareers.com.

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Disclaimer: Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.