80% of jobs are never advertised. Here's how to get in anyway.

A number that surprises many: a large share of open positions are never publicly advertised. They're filled internally, handed out through referrals, or only come into being because someone got in touch with the right company at the right time.

That means: anyone who relies exclusively on job portals fights over a small visible slice while the larger part of the market stays completely invisible. The good news: you can gain access to this hidden market yourself.

The most important lever is networking, but not in the classic sense of collecting business cards. It means targeted, honest conversations: with former colleagues, with people from your dream industry, with people whose career path interests you. One informal conversation often brings more than ten online applications.

Second lever: visibility on LinkedIn. Not as self-promotion, but as a continuous signal of what you stand for and what you can do. Anyone who is regularly visible gets found before a position is even publicly advertised.

Third lever: direct outreach. Dare to contact hiring managers or leaders directly, even without an open posting. A short, specific message about why you're interested in the company stands out, precisely because so few people do it.