Step 4.5: Do The Research
Stop scrolling through Fortune's "Best Places to Work" lists. Let's build your target company list with military-grade precision.
In the prior Steps, we outlined your Search Grid Framework:
Ideal roles across the top. Not just fancy titles – actual functions you want to own. Think of it like your college applications: Dream companies, stretch targets, solid options, and safety plays.
Down the side, your non-negotiables: Company Size, Growth Stage, Culture, Location, Sector and other important variables.
The approach to research & gathering intel:
Start with LinkedIn's Company Search function. But don't just browse – weaponize it by searching your target roles, noting who has your dream job, tracking their career path and mapping their network overlap.
Google is your reconnaissance tool: set news alerts for target companies (funding announcements, executive moves, product launches, market shifts, etc…).
AI tools can also give you outstanding information and insight. Find the one that works best for you.
Pro Move: Find one company that matches your criteria? Use it as your search seed. Google and LinkedIn will suggest similar companies. That's how you discover the hidden gems everyone else misses.
Remember: The best opportunities aren't on job boards. They're in the companies you research before they post.
Your Playbook:
Create your grid.
Map twenty companies.
Then find their twenty closest competitors.
The market rewards those who do their homework. Your target list should be living intelligence, not a static wishlist. Because the difference between a good search and a great one is knowing exactly what you're hunting for