The hidden job market

Experts say many of the job openings out there are not advertised - resourceful applicants just need to seek them out.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Can't seem to find a job? Maybe you're just not looking in the right places.

Because of the overwhelming number of job seekers ready to pounce on new openings, employers often bypass the big online job boards and even placement agencies, and try to fill job openings directly.

Over 80% of today's jobs aren't advertised, according to Howard Poplinger, owner of human-resource company Epic Development and Evaluation.

Companies are relying more heavily on their current employee networks, or on local or specialized job pools, to avoid the flood of unqualified candidates that comes with high unemployment.

"Businesses go to employees first and ask if they know anybody," Poplinger said. That way, managers don't have to go through the time-consuming process of placing an ad and sorting through applicants, he explained.

With nearly 14 million people unemployed, there are more than five job seekers per opening, according to the Labor Department's most recent data.

"Employers are definitely leaning on their employee population to get referrals for people that their employees trust," said Kathy Robinson, the founder of TurningPoint, a career consulting firm in greater Boston. "Otherwise they have to screen thousands of applicants."

According to Robinson, open positions may eventually make it onto big job sites, but only after employers reach out to their employees or a select group of recruiters first.