Today, I'll show you an easy way to use the CareerBuilder print or other want ads to find possible hidden jobs. You'll use those same want ads to tap into dozens of possible HIDDEN JOBS. You'll find yourself in the enviable position of being the only applicant for the job you really want with no other competition!

There is a simple but effective premise at work here: Go where others don't go. Just because a company is not listing a job you would qualify for this week or this month, does not mean they don't need you and won't hire you.

Your goal is to find those companies who WERE hiring in the relatively recent past.

Here's what you do: go back 30 days, 60 days and 90 days to find the companies that listed jobs with your job title and skills, if the search capability allows this. The reason you are doing this is to be the first in line when they are ready to hire the NEXT person with your skills. They could be getting ready to pull the trigger and begin a NEW search today or next week to:

a.) replace the previous person they just hired (and this happens more often than you think).

b.) fill a new position that was just budgeted.

c.) replace a person who was just promoted.

You have this capability online with the Careerbuilder? section of the newspapers. Unfortunately with Careerbuilder?, you can only go back a maximum of 30 days. An advantage with Careerbuilder?, though, is that they give you a contact name to follow up with. Add this person's name to your "Follow-up Today" list.

With other papers' online want ads, like the Arizona Republic?, you can find listings as far as a year or more back. Other papers should be similar

Otherwise, go to the library and ask a librarian for help in retrieving this information for you. It may prove to be invaluable.

Don't overlook the trade papers such as the Business Journal? or other local civic and trade-related papers in your city. They tend to focus on business developments, promotions, new hires and legal transactions, both corporate and civic. Pay attention to the sections on promotions and new hires. This may reap a reward with the attendant empty spot left open, the need for another hire due to increased sales activity or department expansion. Here you also get a contact name to follow up with.

Don't stop there. Also, do the same as above - go backwards 30, 60, and 90 days. You're getting valuable information about which companies are most likely to be in need of your services at any point in time. You are also getting a huge leg-up by building your list of names and titles to follow up with today as well as over the next several weeks.

Summary

The key to finding gold in the job search game is to go where others don't go. When you do creative things others don't think about doing, or know how to do, you can win big. You can use the want ads in a new way to accomplish this.