Will You Be Found? Or Hide in Plain Sight?

Let’s talk about the hidden job market. What is it? Why is it hidden?

The truth is, most executive roles aren’t posted anywhere. Recent studies reveal that 85% of VP and C-suite openings are filled without a public job posting. When suddenly faced with a job search, most experienced leaders haven’t planned for this ‘hidden’ reality. And the more critical the role, the more likely it’s kept quiet. Why? Companies don’t want to telegraph urgent gaps or deficiencies among their highest ranks.

So, if the jobs are invisible, how do you get visibility?

Recruiters are constantly mapping talent and building networks, especially with leaders who are happily employed. Executive search partners are talent scouts, racing against competitors to discover the best, almost-perfect match. Think of them like contestants on The Amazing Race—strategic, fast, and focused entirely on finding the prize: THE top talent, before anyone else.

These teams use exhaustive research and deep intelligence: they map entire industries, track proven leaders, and analyze affiliations to spot the best fit. And where does just about every search start?

Yes, you guessed it: LinkedIn. If you’re asking, “What’s really happening behind the scenes?”—this is it.

Over 70% of senior hires begin with a LinkedIn search, and 75% of executives land roles through direct outreach or referral. Recruiters look for visible signals: hard-coded keywords—the “skills” at the profile’s bottom, affiliations and connections, and the outcome-driven language that explains not just what you do, but how you lead, motivate, and inspire.

Short story. A friend was pumped to see the first Hunger Games when it came out in 2012. Back then, Suzanne Collins’ character Katniss was relatively unknown, at least by me. But this was a big deal to him. He mapped it out, invited the gang, and arranged a dinner beforehand. You know, the works. Amazingly fun time and disturbing movie, but I digress.

The next day, I call him up. “Why did we travel all the way up to that other theater? The sign on the one down the street says it’s playing.” He was more shocked than I was. I mean, it was only a couple of extra hours. We looked again—still not listed online.

Turns out, there was an error with the local listing for the theater. The owner thought, “Everyone knows where we are, and that we’re playing this movie, no big deal.” The problem with that? Unless you physically drove by that theater, how would anyone know it was playing there? Their listing, where people actually go to pick a movie online, was nowhere to be found.

LinkedIn works that way, too. When a position hits, the recruiters pounce, matching the keywords and phrases of that job to the most aligned profiles on LinkedIn. How is that recruiter supposed to find you if you’re an AI leader but your profile hasn't been updated since 2020, before the AI boom?

You ARE invisible to that recruiter, hiding in plain sight. Or rather, your profile is. You might be completely current in your skills and experience, but if your profile isn’t updated, you’re also nowhere to be found.

First order of business? A LinkedIn keyword audit. Does your profile have the exact keywords recruiters are searching for in the exact places they’re looking?

So when they come looking, will you be found? Or still hiding in plain sight?

Not sure? DMs welcomed.