Networking Your Way Into Switzerland’s Hidden Job Market
Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market
If you are a senior professional or executive thinking about your next move, you already know the advertised jobs are only part of the picture. In Switzerland, data from x28 shows us that 70% of hires made at over CHF 160k salary were hidden from view.
At this level, the real opportunities sit in the hidden job market created through conversations, referrals and timing. The problem is that most people know they should network, yet they lack a system and are unsure of where to start.
This is where things often go wrong. Networking becomes either a scattergun rush of “I will message 50 people on LinkedIn” or a long period of silence until the job hunt feels urgent. Both approaches miss the point.
The truth is that networking, done well, is a strategic leadership skill. Like any skill, it can be built and systemised. The outcome you want is not more chats. It is the right conversations, at the right cadence, with the right people.
Why networking feels awkward and how to fix it
The first obstacle is mindset. Too many people treat networking as a transaction. That is why it feels uncomfortable, because walking up to someone and essentially saying “help me get a job” rarely works.
The best networking is based on reciprocity. Think of it like a bank account. If you never make deposits, you cannot expect to make a withdrawal. A deposit might be as simple as sharing a useful idea, introducing two relevant people or taking the time to listen properly. These small, consistent acts create goodwill. Later, when you ask for advice, an introduction or insight into a company, it feels natural rather than forced.
This is not just my view. Herminia Ibarra and Mark Lee Hunter’s classic HBR article, How Leaders Create and Use Networks, makes it clear that leaders do not just accumulate contacts. They curate networks built on trust, purpose and mutual benefit.
Three networks you need to think about
Ibarra and Hunter describe three distinct types of networks:
- Operational: the people who help you get your current work done
- Personal: peers and outsiders who broaden your perspective
- Strategic: decision makers and influencers who connect you to the future you want
Most professionals are overweight in the first category. They have strong operational ties but underdeveloped strategic ones. When a job search begins, this imbalance becomes painfully clear.
Shared experiences are stronger than LinkedIn requests
Relationships do not deepen because you have exchanged business cards or clicked Connect. They deepen through shared experiences. Sitting on a panel together, collaborating on an initiative or simply having a thoughtful conversation over coffee are the moments that build trust.
I have seen this first-hand with my clients.
Case in point:
One pharma executive in Basel was frustrated that headhunters rarely called anymore and, when they did, only brought generic roles. She was ready for a senior transformation brief yet could not spark the right conversations. We mapped her network and built a simple dashboard. She identified a former colleague from a global IT programme and sent a short note about an industry panel he had recently spoken on, then asked for ten minutes to talk about service providers on the topic. That led to coffee, which led to an introduction to department head. Within a couple of months she was informally interviewing for a role that was never posted. The turning point was not applying to more roles in the hope of sparking a discussion about something more interesting. It was deliberately rekindling one relationship, creating a shared touchpoint, then following a rhythm.
Build a system you can keep
Good intentions fade quickly without structure. This is where a simple dashboard makes a difference. The tool is less important than the behaviour it enables.
Here is the minimum viable version I ask clients to use:
- Contact: name and a quick note on how you know them
- Last contact: date and a one line narrative
- Network type: operational, personal or strategic
- Next action: the smallest useful next step with a date
Over time, the sheet stops being admin and becomes habit. It shows where relationships are cooling, where opportunities may open and whether you are investing enough in the right people.
My view: start small and be consistent. It is better to nurture 40 relationships well than to graze 200 sporadically.
Make it part of your identity
Networking is not something you switch on when you need a job. If you only reach out when you want something, you are already behind. Set a cadence you can keep. For some, it is ten minutes on a Friday morning reviewing the sheet. For others, it is two catch up coffees a month. The number matters less than the consistency.
Case in point 2:
A finance manager returning after a career break felt out of touch and assumed her only option was applying online, with limited positive responses. We focused on her personal and strategic network. She reached out to a former colleague with a simple line: “I have been reflecting on my next step and thought of [the work they did together]. How are things on your side?” That led to lunch. Over the next few weeks she followed the system, logging conversations, setting reminders and making small deposits of value. Within two months she had secured three warm introductions into unadvertised roles and, more importantly, her confidence returned. The breakthrough was seeing networking not as asking for favours, but as re-engaging relationships with purpose.
Bringing it together
If you are reading this and thinking, “I do not have a system. I rely on headhunters, friends and the occasional application,” this is the moment to change. Your future roles will almost certainly come through people, not postings. Those people are more likely to think of you if you have been making deposits, creating shared experiences and staying visible in a thoughtful way.
Run the checklist:
- Is your network balanced across operational, personal and strategic?
- Do you have a simple dashboard with last touchpoint and next action?
- Have you scheduled two short activation windows this week?
- Are you making deposits before withdrawals?
If not, this is your next job search leadership task. Treat your network as an asset worth curating, because it is. When you treat relationships as a living system, not a last minute rescue plan, the hidden market stops being hidden. It becomes a set of doors you know how to open.
Not going it alone
Networking is hard. Everyone has an opinion, and most of it just adds noise. The truth is you don’t need to be born with some mysterious gift for it. You can learn the skill, build the system and make it work for you.
If you want a structure that keeps you motivated and helps you open the right doors with confidence, that’s exactly what the Accelerator programme is designed to do.