So, you found no jobs listed in the paper or online? Organizations or companies often need to hire new employees, but do not advertise the job openings. So, how do you find a job vacancy that is not advertised? There are many jobs in these cases, and job seekers need to be creative to find and be considered for these jobs.
Shine during College or other Training. It can cost a significant amount of money to advertise open positions, sometimes over $1,000, which can be a large sum of money, particularly for small businesses or deaf-run organizations. In such instances, especially when there is a need to hire someone as soon as possible, hiring managers and administrators may reach out to local colleges, universities, and staffing firms to find talent. Let us say a school for the deaf is looking to hire a math teacher after their teacher of five years quit just before the school starts in the fall. To save time and money (both very costly things, whether via online or print advertising), a Human Resources representative or hiring manager will contact department chairpersons or instructors from nearby schools to inquire about top talent among recent graduates or alumni. In the case of a math teacher working with deaf and hard of hearing children, a hiring manager may contact Gallaudet University or programs in Deaf Education. Asking school staff for a list of the top five recent grads or top-performing alumni will often quickly generate a list of three to five names of great potential talent. Who are those that end up on those lists? Of course, those students who did well during classes, achieved academic success, showed dedication to their studies, and excelled in their chosen field. Likewise, graduates who keep in contact with professors or instructors, particularly about professional achievements, will stick in the mind of school personnel.
Alumni Events and Mentoring. Many schools periodically hold events for their alumni. Whether it's a gathering held on campus with light refreshments or a day of socializing amongst alumni, such events bring a range of people together. These are especially important gatherings for new graduates since more established alums often attend events that provide a chance to see new talent. Hiring managers often love to hire graduates from their alma maters. Show up to these events and mingle with your fellow graduates. Those conversations can lead to finding out about unposted jobs that organizations or companies are trying to fill. In addition to alumni events, graduates can often request to get mentored by a graduate of the school. Many alumni departments will connect new grads with old grads. Through such connections, an alum mentor may identify open jobs not advertised in traditional spaces. Consider calling or e-mailing your school's alumni department for guidance in this area.
Write-In. Sometimes a job opening hasn't been finalized yet, or traditional advertising has not netted viable candidates, and the job ads have since expired. Many job openings with organizations that employ deaf and hard of hearing people often fall into this circumstance. For these reasons, job seekers should submit a letter of interest to the HR departments at organizations or companies they are interested in working for. Simply address the letter to the hiring manager and summarize your skills, training, professional achievements, and a clear statement that you would like to work for that organization or company. Such letters often reveal open positions that are not advertised. While a cover letter won't necessarily get you the job, the letter may very well get you an interview.
Stop In. Are you looking for work and finding no jobs advertised anywhere? Hit the street. Stop in at businesses or organizations and speak directly with their HR departments or program managers. Ask if there are any job openings or if there are any positions that will soon be open for applications. Such boldness and confidence can impress hiring managers. At the very least, such braveness may uncover an available job not advertised anywhere!
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