Create Your Employer Target List for Seattle
These may be companies that tend to offer jobs that fit your interests, organizations that have the company culture you desire, and/or organizations with a mission you believe in.
A Target List Saves You Time
With a target list in hand, you will actually save yourself time in your job search.
Even if it feels productive to apply to every job opening you come across, you are actually wasting your time and energy. Instead, you should only apply to jobs at companies that you believe are a good fit for you.
There is no need to waste your time applying and interviewing for jobs that do not match your qualifications and/or goals. Even if you accept a job at a company that is not right for you, chances are that you will not want to stay there very long.
It is better to take the time to find your ideal companies and apply to jobs there, in order to find a long-lasting job that you love.
Creating Your Target List
Below are a few ways to begin to create your target list.
- Look at best company lists. Many web sites list the best companies to work for in a variety of different industries. For example, Fortune ranks companies in a variety of categories, including the Fortune 100, Fortune 500, and Fortune 1000 (based on gross revenue), the best small companies, the best companies for millennials, and more. Look through the lists that match your interests, read the descriptions of each company, and write down the companies that fit your industry interests and your ideal company culture.
- Look to your Chamber of Commerce. Your local Chamber of Commerce should have a list of local companies. Take a look at this list to see if there are any local companies that fit your interests.
- Look to your professional associations. If you belong to any professional associations, look on their websites to find a list of member companies. If you do not belong to any associations, click here for a list of associations by industry. Find associations in your industry, and see if you can access each association’s list of industries.
- Browse LinkedIn. If you have any contacts who work in your field, look on their LinkedIn profiles (or other social media profiles) to see where they work. Similarly, look at members of LinkedIn groups that are related to your industry, and see where they are working.
Narrow Down Your List
Once you have created a list through these methods, it is time to narrow your list down to only the companies that are truly a perfect or near-perfect fit. To do this, you will need to research the companies on your list.
First, visit each company’s website. Read each company’s mission statement and any other information the site may have about the work environment, the people the company hires, and anything else about the company culture.
You can also visit LinkedIn’s Companies section to find company information. This section provides information on each company culture, as well as job openings and connections you have at each company.
Based on this information, cross out any companies on your list that are not a strong fit.
The Final List
Ultimately, you should have a list of 10 – 20 companies that you will proceed to target in your job search. As you continue to job search, feel free to remove or add companies as you get a better feel for the type of organization you would like to work for.