Hidden jobs spark interest – here’s how TEK members have succeeded at it

Over the years, the number of hidden job vacancies has been studied in various ways, with somewhat mixed results. For example, in autumn 2025, the Ministry of Economic Affairs presented statistics on a YLE programme suggesting that an estimated half of all vacancies are filled through hidden job search channels.

Hidden job search is still an underutilised method of finding job opportunities, and for many jobseekers it sounds both appealing and difficult at the same time. In response to current changes in job-seeking, TEK has organised online training sessions and webinars on hidden job search, which have generated a great deal of interest among members.

Hidden job hunting is often effective but underutilised

The guided online course on hidden job hunting in autumn 2025 attracted over 300 TEK members. The training was delivered in Finnish (Piilotyönhaku haltuun) and English (Mastering the Hidden Job Market). During the training, participants received practical support and tips for job hunting, as well as coaching from career coaches and peers.

In a survey aimed at participants, as many as 70 per cent reported having previously found employment through hidden job search methods. At the same time, however, the majority acknowledged that they spent most of their time responding to job advertisements in the public sector. When it came to taking up hidden job-seeking, participants were concerned about, among other things, identifying suitable job opportunities, articulating their own skills, contacting organisations of interest, and reaching out to their own network without coming across as pushy.

The participants in the course had different starting points when it came to hidden job-hunting: for some, it was a new concept that was only just taking shape, whilst others had been using it for a long time – sometimes consciously, sometimes without realising it. The aim of the training was to encourage participants to network, share information and experiences, and to boldly try out methods of hidden job-hunting.

From the coach’s perspective, the most rewarding aspect was hearing about the participants’ progress in hidden job search: important insights, bold experiments and the courage to step slightly outside their comfort zone. Many of those who took part in the coaching also found employment through hidden job search methods.

These methods led to success in hidden job hunting

During the coaching, we asked participants to share their success stories regarding hidden job hunting: what made their success possible and how they found a hidden job. A few common themes emerged from the stories collected: jobs often arise from a combination of interaction, good timing and personal initiative.

Key factors in these success stories were:

1. Networks and people you know

Jobs were found through a network of fellow students, former colleagues and supervisors, lecturers, consultants, neighbours, people met through hobbies, and networks of networks. Even spontaneous encounters at events, trade fairs or even in the workplace coffee room had led to conversations and ultimately to employment.

2. Personal initiative and the courage to take action

Many jobs began with an unsolicited contact: a phone call, a LinkedIn message, a concise email or a ‘may I ask…’ conversation when the opportunity arose. A seemingly small initiative could open up an opportunity and set in motion a chain of events leading to a job.

3. Contacts and traineeships during studies

Traineeships, internships, thesis work and summer jobs act as effective stepping stones to longer-term employment. The connection may have been established years earlier, but when the right moment came, it led to employment.

4. Recommendations and reputation as an expert

When projects or consultancy assignments are handled well, word gets around. Several participants described situations where they were contacted on the basis of a recommendation or invited to join a project without having to apply.

5. Timing

Jobs materialised when both parties had a need: funding became available, a project was launched, or the jobseeker became ready to make the change. Perseverance and the right moment often form a decisive combination, and sometimes a touch of luck is also needed.

The training reinforced what many already knew: hidden jobs have always been part of the labour market. They are now being discussed more, partly because jobs are increasingly being filled through informal channels, and also because there are fewer jobs available in the open labour market than before.

In the success stories, the search for hidden jobs was seen above all as the courage to give it a go. Not all contacts lead to a job, but every conversation increases understanding and opens up new perspectives. That is why the crucial thing in hidden job hunting is not to get it right straight away, but to have the courage to start and keep going.