--- title: "‘X’ Marks the Spot: Finding the Hidden Job Market" description: Help job seekers find the hidden job market and land their next job. Get in-person, join work placement pipelines, and go straight to the job source. image: https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/AD_4nXcIF3O1rWxxTvmy1c4Rq1IsksV8lk--RP2kWLY5IyxPTxSpCswiN-3TMsPORXiYjFFzqCBo5HHurxw5e-uX8uQSx7avf0W98uqs44q5tGdyMl-pU46oV6smZUAyM3kc4rHkq00Hm8PDGail0.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/finding-the-hidden-job-market#main) - FAQs - [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news) - [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events) - [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://ontarioeast.ca/happenings/our-team-partners) - [About Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/about-us/) - Search [![site_main_logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/site_main_logo.svg) ![site_main_logo_scrolled](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/site_main_logo_scrolled.svg) ![Ontario East Economic Development logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=245&height=150&name=logo.png) ![Ontario East Economic Development logo](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=245&height=150&name=logo.png)](https://ontarioeast.ca/) - 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[Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) - [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://oemc.ca/) - [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) - [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) Search ![Canada, Employment Ontario, Government of Ontario logos](https://ontarioeast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ontario-employment-logos.svg) This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. # ‘X’ Marks the Spot: Finding the Hidden Job Market For Ontario East July 26, 2024 ![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/AD_4nXcIF3O1rWxxTvmy1c4Rq1IsksV8lk--RP2kWLY5IyxPTxSpCswiN-3TMsPORXiYjFFzqCBo5HHurxw5e-uX8uQSx7avf0W98uqs44q5tGdyMl-pU46oV6smZUAyM3kc4rHkq00Hm8PDGail0.jpg?width=565&name=AD_4nXcIF3O1rWxxTvmy1c4Rq1IsksV8lk--RP2kWLY5IyxPTxSpCswiN-3TMsPORXiYjFFzqCBo5HHurxw5e-uX8uQSx7avf0W98uqs44q5tGdyMl-pU46oV6smZUAyM3kc4rHkq00Hm8PDGail0.jpg) While employment rates in Canada are generally on the rise, job seekers may still be finding [job searching](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/job-searching-heres-why-you-want-to-be-on-magnet) difficult. The struggle is real, but hopefully it helps to know you’re not alone. Geopolitical concerns, supply chain disruptions, high inflation and interest rates, are some common factors that are slowing down the recruitment process, all of which are out of the control of individual job seekers. So, what can job seekers control through the [job search](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/skilled-trade-job-search) process? Where you’re looking. Read on to get some tips to help you find the hidden job market to land your next job.  ## For Our Next Trick, We Reveal the Hidden Job Market It may seem counterintuitive, but a large percentage of jobs aren’t on job sites, like Indeed. Employers may avoid third-party job sites because of the cost of posting or if they have not seen success in the past.  While you shouldn’t avoid job sites, here are 3 other places to find jobs:  **1. Go straight to the employer:** Research employers in the communities you’re interested in working in and look directly on the employer website. > **Bonus tip:** When we say go straight to the employer, we mean it! Don’t be afraid to set up meetings and literally knock on doors. In this chronically online era, in-person meetings are rare and impressive.  **2. Visit local government job boards:** Municipal, economic development, and workforce development websites are constantly doing employer outreach to find job postings and share the hidden job market.  [![Ontario East job board button](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4499088/f22e4f56-1b90-4700-ae8d-9ff89d786f17.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4499088/f22e4f56-1b90-4700-ae8d-9ff89d786f17) **3. Tap the school to job pipeline:** Many post secondary institutions have relationships with local employers, creating connections for [work placements](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/work-placement-for-students-in-ontario-east) in the form of co-operative education programs and internships.  [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4499088/85110537-fa74-4ddd-8fa0-b393b2244491.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4499088/85110537-fa74-4ddd-8fa0-b393b2244491) ## The #1 Misconception About Job Postings Once you’ve found the hidden job market don’t fall victim to this job search booby trap: you don’t need to meet 100% of the job posting’s criteria to be competitive.  When employers post jobs, they’re providing their ideal criteria; ie. in a perfect world, the successful candidate would have all of those criteria. But this isn’t a perfect world, and employers know this. Don’t self-select out of a great job just because you don’t think you’re the “perfect fit”. Chances are, you’re a stronger candidate than you think.  ![the Hidden Job Market](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed%20(3).jpg?width=624&height=416&name=unnamed%20(3).jpg) *External links are provided as informational resources only and are not necessarily endorsed by Ontario East.* ![Ontario East](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/Ontario%20Website%202021/Mask%20Group%20(11).png) ## Ontario East [For job seekers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/tag/for-job-seekers) - [![linkedin-1](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg) Post](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontarioeast/) - [![square-x-twitter](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/square-x-twitter.svg) Post](https://x.com/OntarioEast) - [![facebook](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/facebook.svg) Share](https://www.facebook.com/Ontario.East/) - [![envelope-solid](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hubfs/envelope-solid.svg) Email](mailto:info@ontarioeast.ca) ## You Might Also Be Interested In ### [![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/LB4ooX9EoYTjeFSX5v8CDsJLGj_YYDF3OyTGlmaWAanOv73Wvl51OM-AzIo27n0TqnAW3wAGL1QmsUBit15y5Oks2yjkWjmwWPWMH-foicp3klCTyDNepZpZ2osxqZtS7HkVBY6z.jpg?height=485&name=LB4ooX9EoYTjeFSX5v8CDsJLGj_YYDF3OyTGlmaWAanOv73Wvl51OM-AzIo27n0TqnAW3wAGL1QmsUBit15y5Oks2yjkWjmwWPWMH-foicp3klCTyDNepZpZ2osxqZtS7HkVBY6z.jpg) January 14, 2019 Don't Count Yourself Out of the Manufacturing Job Market Read Now For job seekers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/dont-count-yourself-out-of-the-manufacturing-job-market) ### [![](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/image34.jpg?height=485&name=image34.jpg) October 16, 2019 Are You the Right Fit for These Manufacturing Jobs? Read Now For job seekers](https://blog.ontarioeast.ca/are-you-the-right-fit-for-these-manufacturing-jobs) ![](https://ontarioeast.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mask-Group-4.svg) ## Subscribe to our eNewsletter ###### CONTACT US (613) 634-8569 623 Fortune Crescent, Suite 100 Kingston, ON K7P 0L5 [Email Us](mailto:info@ontarioeast.ca) ###### LINKS [Regional Profile](https://ontarioeast.ca/regional-profile/) [Available Properties](https://ontarioeast.ca/available-properties/) [Key Employment Sectors](https://ontarioeast.ca/key-employment-sectors/) [FAQs](https://ontarioeast.ca/faqs/) [News](https://ontarioeast.ca/news/) [Jobs & RFPs](https://ontarioeast.ca/jobs-rfps/) [Members](https://ontarioeast.ca/members/) [About Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/about-us/) [Events](https://ontarioeast.ca/events/) [Ontario East Municipal Conference](https://ontarioeast.ca/ontario-east-municipal-conference/) [Contact Us](https://ontarioeast.ca/contact-us/) ###### ZoomProspector [Admin Access Login](https://auth.zoomprospector.com/Account/Login?returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.zoomprospector.com%2FAccount%2FLoginCallback%3FreturnUrl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fadmin.zoomprospector.com%252F) © Ontario East Economic Development, 2026 Acme Co, Inc. 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