By The Human Reach Editorial Team
The most coveted executive roles are rarely advertised. They’re filled through networks, executive search firms, and direct relationships — what AJ Mizes, founder of The Human Reach, calls the hidden job market. His proprietary Sidedoor Method is designed specifically to help executives access this market.
The Hidden Job Market Reality
Mizes estimates that 70 to 80 percent of executive roles at the $150K+ level are filled without ever being publicly posted. This isn’t a conspiracy — it’s a function of how executive hiring actually works. Companies at the senior level prefer to hire through trusted referrals and established relationships because the stakes are too high to rely on an anonymous applicant pool.
This means that executives who focus exclusively on responding to job postings are competing for a small fraction of the available opportunities — and competing against a large, visible pool of other applicants.
“The executives who consistently land the best roles aren’t the ones who apply to the most jobs. They’re the ones who have built the relationships and the visibility that get them called before the job is even posted. That’s what the Sidedoor Method is designed to create.”
The Three Doors of Executive Job Search
Mizes uses a door metaphor to explain the different pathways to executive roles:
The Front Door is the traditional application process — responding to job postings, submitting resumes through applicant tracking systems, and waiting to hear back. This is the most competitive and least effective pathway for senior roles.
The Back Door is the executive search firm relationship — being on the radar of the relevant search firms and getting called when a role opens up. This is more effective than the front door, but it requires a long-term relationship-building investment.
The Sidedoor is the direct relationship pathway — being in conversation with hiring managers and decision-makers at target companies before a role is even posted. This is the most effective pathway for senior roles, and it’s the one most executives never develop.
Building Sidedoor Access
The Sidedoor Method involves three core activities:
Targeted relationship building. Identify the 20 to 30 companies where you’d most like to work, and systematically build relationships with the relevant decision-makers at each company. This doesn’t require a job opening — it requires genuine curiosity about the company and a willingness to add value to the relationship.
Thought leadership positioning. Publish content that demonstrates your expertise in your domain. Speak at industry events. Serve on advisory boards. The goal is to become known as a leading voice in your field — so that when a relevant role opens up, your name is already in the conversation.
Strategic networking. Attend the events, join the organizations, and participate in the communities where the decision-makers at your target companies spend their time. Build genuine relationships, not transactional ones.
About AJ Mizes: AJ Mizes is the founder of The Human Reach and a former global HR executive at Meta. His Career Amp program teaches executives the Sidedoor Method and other strategies for accessing the hidden executive job market.
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