Coveted jobs listed only on private channels or available through preeminent executive recruiters have existed for decades.
But now that New York City and a handful of states have laws requiring employers to publish salary ranges for open positions, listings for the most elite, plumb positions are likely to move increasingly into private spheres.
There’s a way to crack this exclusive, six-figure club, The Wall Steet Journal reports.
Top executive recruiters are familiar with these “stealth” roles. While employers and recruiters are surreptitious about this coveted information, there are ways to capture their attention, says Matt Massucci, chief executive of recruiting firm Hirewell.
“You want to be on the call list of somebody who’s working to fill a job that would fit you,” Massucci says. “The only way you do that is to stay top of mind.”
Devote at least 30 minutes a week to networking, Massucci suggests. Introduce yourself to people at companies that intrigue you. Make a point of getting to know recruiters who specialize in your field — even when, or perhaps especially when, you aren’t in the market — and develop an informal rapport with them.
Attend conferences and other business or industry functions, such as awards dinners or educational webinars, and speak on panels. This can pay dividends in terms of the exposure and the networking.
More Jobs on the Down Low
While it’s inevitable that, given the New York pay disclosure law that went into effect on Nov. 1, more businesses will seek candidates through private channels, it’s difficult to gauge how many more jobs may go through these secretive means, says Tae-Youn Park, an associate professor of human resource studies at Cornell University.
A major loophole in the new pay transparency law is that employers are not obligated to publicly advertise every job, concurs Holland & Knight labor attorney Stephanie Merabet. That, inevitably, means that there will be more jobs on the so-called dark market.
Whether you are looking for a new opportunity or not, recruiters say, it's worth staying tuned in.
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