Who Knows You Are Job Searching?

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A few weeks ago, I was catching up with a friend at a local watering hole.

Trevor: “You keep in touch with Kyle. Did you know he lost his job back in May?”

Me: “He did? Kyle and I spoke several times over the summer… he never mentioned losing his job.”

Trevor: “I ran into Dereck at Home Depot this past Saturday. You might remember him; he was at Kyle’s 50th.”

Me: “They worked together.”

Trevor: “Yeah. Turns out, back in February, they got a new department head. Apparently, he and Kyle started butting heads from day one.”

Me: “I knew Kyle got a new boss. He told me they weren’t meshing, but I didn’t know he was let go.”

Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkeley’s philosophical riddle, “If a tree falls and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” is especially pertinent to job searching.

Who knows you’re job searching?

For many, there’s a sense of shame, personal failure, and the feeling that everyone can see they aren’t employed and are judging them; it’s as if they are wearing a sign around their neck that says, “Unemployed, failure, unwanted.” Although unemployment is a common experience—who hasn’t been unemployed at least once—especially in our current turbulent economy, the Western cultural norm of equating having a job (income) with being successful persists, and thanks to social media, is amplified.

The social messaging we’re exposed to strongly implies that one of the most, if not the most, important aspect of a person is their job. Consider the standard script for meeting someone for the first time.

1. What’s your name?
2. What do you do?

Reflect on the question “What do you do?” People do many things, but the default assumption for asking the question is to determine how the person you just met makes what our society highly values, money.

Since 1989, when the Iron Curtain fell and globalization accelerated, we’ve ceased to live in a world of lifelong, or even long-term, jobs. We now inhabit a fluid environment where markets, heavily affected by geopolitical shifts, are constantly evolving, making the job market ‘elastic.’ Additionally, technological advancements continue to displace workers, as seen with automation and AI, creating a job market that’s in constant flux; hence, people shouldn’t feel ashamed of being unemployed.

Depending on which study or self-proclaimed “expert” you choose to believe, between 65% and 80% of jobs are never publicly advertised. Arguing about the size of the hidden job market is merely a matter of semantics and is unproductive. The safest candidates to fill these roles are those who have referrals or have introduced themselves through their networking efforts. Hiring a stranger carries more risks than hiring someone familiar, which highlights the importance of structuring your job search strategy around informing people you’re looking for a job and actively networking. I speak from experience: the more people who know you’re job hunting and understand the value you can bring to an employer, the quicker your job search will be.

Informing your family, friends, neighbours, acquaintances, and those you regularly interact with—such as the barista at the coffee shop where you occasionally treat yourself to a premium dark roast coffee—about your job search is how you expand your professional network.

Numerous times I’ve sat in meetings in which someone said along the lines of, “Bob just gave his two weeks’ notice. Does anyone know of someone who’s a [whatever]?” Often when discussing a challenge with a manager, director, or C-suite executive, I’ll say, “You need to speak with [name]. I’ll email you their contact information.” Since I’m known for being a connector, I often get requests asking if I know someone who’s a [whatever].

“You should talk to [name]. He’s one of the best I’ve worked with.” No resume. No cover letter. Just a trusted referral.

The core benefit of widely sharing that you’re job hunting is that you’ll get (no guarantee) targeted job leads that align with your skills and career ambitions. This saves you time and effort from searching through job boards and company websites and increases the chances you’ll be informed of opportunities relevant to your expertise. I’m not going to tell someone I know who’s looking for a marketing director’s role about an IT position at the ice cream manufacturing company, my neighbour is the head of finance at.

Keep in mind:

• As an employee, it’s almost certain that you’ll experience unemployment at some point in your working life. Therefore, there’s a strong likelihood that the person you’re talking to about your job search has been unemployed at least once.
• Going out and speaking to people is how you control your job search and normalize it.

Putting aside any shame you may feel about being unemployed and informing everyone you know, meet, and are reaching out to about your job search creates a ripple effect energy that sends, at the risk of sounding metaphysical, a signal to the universe that you’re ready for the next phase of your career. The job seekers who are getting hired today are those who reach out, not those who wait to be contacted by employers.

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Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned corporate veteran, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. Send Nick your job search questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.