Plant seeds in your job search network

The summer months are an ideal time to explore the hidden job market – meaning positions that are never publicly advertised.

In Denmark, there is a long tradition of high job mobility compared to the size of the workforce. In 2024 alone, around 680,000 people changed jobs, according to Statistics Denmark.

By comparison, between 250,000 and 300,000 positions are posted on various job databases.

So where are the rest?

Many jobs are filled through networks, recommendations, and informal conversations long before a job advertisement is published. That is why job searching is not only about applications and CVs, but also about relationships and visibility.

The high level of job mobility also means that companies recruit continuously, many positions arise spontaneously, and networks and timing play an important role.

Read also: Use your network in your job search

Networking is about curiosity

While many people are on holiday, others slow down during the warmer months – and that can be an advantage for job seekers. Summer often provides better opportunities to reach out to contacts in a more informal way.

Calendars are less busy, and more people have time for a coffee or a short conversation. It could be former colleagues, fellow students, or people in the industry you would like to get to know better.

Networking is not about asking for a job. In fact, it often works best to approach it with curiosity: What projects is the company working on? What skills will they need in the future? And what challenges are currently shaping the industry?

At the same time, you can use the summer to strengthen your professional visibility. An updated LinkedIn profile, comments on relevant posts, or short professional reflections can help keep you visible in your network. That makes it easier for others to think of you when an opportunity arises.

One step at a time

For many unemployed people, networking can feel vague or uncomfortable. That is why small, concrete goals can help. For example, you could contact a couple of people each week, attend an event, or send an unsolicited application to an interesting company.

Ultimately, the hidden job market is not about knowing the right people. It is about building relationships and being visible in the professional communities you want to be part of.

You do not need a detailed and clearly defined career plan. One of the most important skills in today’s changing labour market is putting yourself in situations where opportunities and coincidences can happen – what John Krumboltz calls “planned happenstance”. The key is then turning those coincidences into career development. You can read more about this in this article from Pharma 5 (in Danish).

Even if you cannot predict what opportunities may arise, you can still plan your activity – and take action. Perhaps the seed you planted will grow into a new opportunity in your career.

Are you finding it difficult to get started?

Remember that you can always contact our career department – we can help you plan your networking activities.