Estimated Runtime: ~10 minutes
Tone: Strategic, investigative — like building an intelligence dossier
Here's a truth that most job seekers don't want to hear: the best jobs are often
filled before they're ever posted. They go to people who were already on the
company's radar. People who had already built relationships. People who had
already demonstrated interest and relevance.
That's not unfair — it's how smart hiring works. And you can use it to your
advantage. But only if you stop thinking about your search as "look at job
boards and apply" and start thinking about it as "target specific organizations
and build relationships before the role opens.
Today we're building your Target Company List — a curated portfolio of 30 to 50
organizations where you want to work. Not where you'll randomly apply — where
you'll strategically invest your networking energy, your research time, and your
application effort.
Let me give you the math. The average corporate job posting gets 250
applications. Most recruiters spend six to eight seconds on each resume. Your
odds of getting through that filter with a generic application are roughly one
to two percent.
Now consider the alternative. You identify a target company. You research them.
You connect with someone who works there. You have a genuine conversation. Three
weeks later, a role opens up. Your contact sends your name to the hiring
manager. You skip the resume pile entirely and go straight to a conversation.
This is not networking magic — it's a predictable system. But it only works if
you've done the targeting work in advance.
The target number is 30 to 50. Tier 1 is your dream list — five to ten companies
that perfectly match your priorities. Tier 2 is your strong list — ten to twenty
companies with minor compromises. Tier 3 is your acceptable list — fifteen to
twenty more that clear your minimum standards.
Method one is Industry Mapping. Go to your target industries and list every
company of appropriate size. Use industry databases, trade publications, and
conference sponsor lists.
Method two is Competitor Analysis. For every Tier 1 company, who are their top
competitors? Those competitors need the exact same talent. This method alone
typically doubles your list.
Method three is Portfolio Mapping — especially powerful for startups. Find the
VC firms that invest in your target space. Their portfolio pages list dozens of
companies you've never heard of, many of which are hiring for your exact role.
Method four is Alumni and Network Mining. Search LinkedIn for people with your
target title. Where do they work? Where have your former colleagues gone? These
are warm-path companies where you have an existing connection.
Before you invest weeks building relationships at a company, make sure the
company is healthy. Here's your quick checklist.
Green signals: recent funding, broad hiring across functions, stable leadership,
positive product momentum.
Red signals: recent layoffs, leadership turnover, declining Glassdoor ratings,
regulatory trouble.
You don't need a forensic audit. Ten minutes of research per company can save
you weeks of wasted effort.
Your Target Company List is the intelligence backbone of your search. Every
future action — networking, applications, interview prep — flows from this list.
Build it, tier it, and maintain it as a living document. In the next lesson,
we'll go even deeper — into how the hiring machine at these companies actually
works, so you know exactly how to get noticed.