Coined by the team at Pollen Careers, a hidden job refers to a role that is available but isn’t openly advertised by a company.

“The truth is, many companies don’t always have the time or resources to post a job and promote it to job boards or on LinkedIn, especially if they’re an SME (which represents 61% of employers in the UK),” explains Sophie O’Brien, founder of Pollen Careers. Instead, companies may wait for referrals or ask mutual connections to recommend people, meaning that such jobs can be incredibly valuable to jobseekers.

“Because the rate of applications will be low in comparison to more widely advertised roles, if someone applies with a strong, bespoke application of why they specifically want to work at this company, they’ll have a much higher chance of landing the role,” says O’Brien. Additionally, SMEs tend to have a lot more flexibility, great benefits and great pay, which some of the more glamorous-sounding companies don’t always offer because people are naturally attracted to working for the big name.

What are ‘hidden jobs’ and how can they help you make your next career move?