What Recruiters Know That You Don’t: They Don’t Fill That Many Positions
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
EP 3099 Today’s show is about one of the things recruiters know that you don’t
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If you’re on the job hunt right now, you know the grind. I mean, you’re endlessly scrolling job boards, tweaking your resume for the hundredth time, and just firing off applications into what feels like a total black hole. It is so frustrating. But what if there was one key piece of insider info, something recruiters know that could completely change how you approach this and more importantly, change your results? Well, let’s pull back the curtain on what that is.
Sound familiar? The data is pretty clear on this one. Most of us job hunters spend a whopping 60% of our time doing that one thing, applying for jobs online, it’s just become the default. You know, it’s what we think we’re supposed to be doing. But let’s be honest, for all that time, for all that effort, is it actually paying off? For so many people, the answer is just a flat no. They’re not getting callbacks. They’re not landing interviews. It’s an incredibly common story. And if that’s you, you are not alone. The reason why might really surprise you.
Okay, here’s the number that changes the entire game. 30%. That’s it. At most, only 30% of all jobs out there are filled through online ads and recruiters put together. Just let that sink in for a second. It feels like that number should be way, way higher, right? So, let’s actually break that down. When we look at the data, online job ads, the things we spend all our time on, they only account for about 22% of actual hires, and recruiters, a tiny 8%. You add those up and you’re left with this massive 70% of jobs being filled through, well, other methods. That giant slice of the pie. That’s where the real opportunity is hiding. And when you put it side by side like this, the problem becomes crystal clear. We are pouring a huge amount of effort, 60% of our precious time into a strategy that fills at best less than 30% of jobs. It’s a massive mismatch between where our energy is going and where the results are actually coming from.
So, if spending all day every day on job boards isn’t the magic bullet we thought it was, then what is? What’s going on in that other 70%? Where are those jobs? Here it is. This is the secret. It’s the one thing recruiters know that can feel like a blind spot for so many of us. Networking works. And no, it’s not just some corporate buzzword. It is the single most effective way to find your next job. And hey, let’s demystify this whole networking thing because it does not have to be this big, scary, intimidating monster. At its core, it’s actually super simple. It’s just talking to people you already know to find out about the people that they know that you don’t know yet. That’s all it is. It’s just starting a conversation.
So, what all this really points to is the need for a strategic shift. It’s about consciously moving your energy away from what is clearly a low yield activity, blasting out resumes online, and refocusing it on a high yield activity, simply talking to people. So, what does this actually look like in practice? Well, it’s a pretty simple three-step path forward. First, consciously decide to shift some of your time away from those mass applications. Second, focus that newfound time on just talking to people you already know. And third, this is the key, ask them who they know that might be able to help you out. Look, knowing all this is one thing, but it doesn’t change anything until you actually act on it. So, the real question, the one that can get you started, is this. Who is the very first person you could have a conversation with today?
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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers easier. Those things can involve job search, hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues.
He is the producer and former host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3000 episodes. 
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You will find great info to help with your job search at my new site, JobSearch.Community Besides the video courses, books and guides, I answer questions from members daily about their job search. Leave job search questions and I will respond daily. Become an Insider+ member and you get everything you’d get as an Insider PLUS you can get me on Zoom calls to get questions answered. Become an Insider Premium member and we do individual and group coaching.
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