CPACareerCoach.com

Isn’t that what we all want to know? The truth is everyone is hiring. Now, wait…before you click to close this page let me explain.

From my experience, companies hire all the time. Even when it appears that they have zero positions listed on the company website and there appears to be no openings on the major job boards. Sometimes positions do not make it that far in the process. Other times HR is too busy to take take to list positions. What you need to remember is that just because there appears to be no open jobs does not mean that there is not. I have personally seen companies hire people in the middle of a recession without ever posting the job.

I have seen companies make room for an individual because they had experience that they wanted. I have also seen companies who have been wanting to make room for a certain type of position but just have not pulled the trigger nor put the effort into defining the role as of yet. Anything can happen if the right candidate falls in their lap.

The Power of the MPC

In headhunting we refer to this as the MPC (Most Placeable Candidate). If we have a star, we will call into companies (with the candidate’s permission) and sell a candidate to a company. Candidates get hired by that method all the time. If you can display how the person can add extreme value to the company, then hiring them becomes a no-brainer.

If you want to do the same thing for yourself and uncover hidden positions, then there are 5 principles to remember:

1. Be good at matchmaking. In other words, be good at understanding your skills sets and which companies can directly benefit from your experience. Describe to them how your skills can directly benefit the company’s bottom line.

2. You have to know how to improve the bottom line. If you know how to save or make the company at least three times your salary, then hiring you becomes a no brainer.

3. Don’t ask yourself: “Who’s hiring now?” Many people just look at the job boards and are convinced that if nothing is listed then no one is hiring. So, when I hear the question “Who’s hiring?” My response is everyone! You just have to find the right match.

4. Make yourself way more valuable then your salary. This may sound like a broken record, but if it is an easy thing for your employer to replace you, then you are not worth a whole lot.

5. The first offer is not always the best. Companies do not always put their best foot forward when it comes to compensation. They might offer you $63,000, but have a budget for the position of $74,000.

Don’t be afraid to contact companies that do not have any open positions listed. Start with developing a relationship with a recruiter that you trust. They can leverage their relationships to help get you in the door of places that may not have been originally hiring. If you do not have that type of connection, then do it yourself. Identify 25-30 targeted companies send them an introduction letter in the mail. Follow up with a resume in the mail. Then, give them a call a week later. Here is the power in what I just said: mail them your resume and cover letter. As a recruiter I can count on two hands the number of resumes I received in the mail. Yet, everyday I bet I had over 100 resumes to look through in my email inbox. Also, give them a call. I bet less then 2% ever follow up their application with a phone call. Do those to things and you will set yourself apart. Who’s hiring now? Everyone.