In case you are searching for assets that will help you discover goal firms in your job search, you’ve come to the proper place. You’ll discover lists, databases and instruments to assist determine potential employers.
Conducting a proactive job search requires that you’ve a plan.
Your job search plan must transcend simply spraying-and-praying your resume to tons of of job postings.
As a substitute, learn to construct an organization listing of prime employers in your job search.
The next listing of 9 totally different sources supplies you with choices to develop your familiarity with new firms and goal alternatives BEFORE they’re marketed!
How To Start If You Don’t Have Any Concepts?
My guess is, you in all probability do have some concept of locations you want to work or a job or two you’ll be involved in.
Possibly you heard about an organization within the information or have heard individuals rave concerning the firm they work for. This can be a start line. Add these firms to your goal listing. It’s important to belief within the exploration course of.
Additionally, take into consideration firms you’re a buyer of. How nice wouldn’t it be to work for them?
1. Greatest Firm Lists
Yearly, the next assets replace their listing of “greatest locations to work” or “greatest firms to work for.” Use every listing to get you began:
- Glassdoor.com’s Greatest Locations to Work
- Fortune’s 100 Greatest Corporations to Work For
- American Alternative Index Prime 100
- Seek for “Prime 100” and “Greatest Employer” lists in your metropolis
Step 1:
Undergo the listing and determine 3-5 firms that sound attention-grabbing. You don’t must do a number of outdoors analysis. Simply learn the write up.
Step 2:
What, if something, do the businesses you’ve chosen have in frequent:
- Business
- Variety of workers
- Geographic location
Step 3:
Discover extra firms which have related qualities. What number of extra? It relies upon, however usually, you need at the least 50 firms in your goal listing. To search out extra firms, use among the databases and instruments beneath.
I’m going to make use of a typical instance that will help you see what you are able to do to develop your listing of goal firms.
Let’s say you’ll like to work for Google as a result of it’s modern, feels like a superb place to work and most significantly, they rent individuals who do what you do…technical writers, for instance.
Your subsequent query ought to be, what firms are much like Google or do what Google does?
2. Databases
As soon as the business identify (typically associated to NAICS codes), you’re prepared to make use of it in your listing constructing. You’re searching for the names of firms that fall into the identical or related business.
Most databases value cash to entry. However here’s a free one.
CareerOneStop Enterprise Finder
This free database can present good info if you lastly get it. Begin your search on the Enterprise Finder web page.
Enter the Enterprise Identify, Business or Occupation or choose a Zip Code.
Your Native Library Has Databases
There are many analysis instruments on the market, however in case you are not a researcher by nature, I counsel you go to your library and ask for assist researching firms inside a particular business.
Libraries even have entry to databases you might not, comparable to Reference Options (previously often known as ReferenceUSA). As a member of the library, you will have entry to this database without charge. And also you could possibly entry it from dwelling.
Crunchbase
With out subscribing, Crunchbase lets you search by business, variety of workers, headquarters and different standards. Nonetheless, you’ll solely see a restricted variety of outcomes. It’s invaluable for researching a particular firm.
3. Lists & Directories
Listed here are another listing assets so that you can take a look at:
- Your native Chamber of Commerce
- Skilled and Business Associations
See what firms are sponsoring occasions or providing displays.
4. Alumni Databases
Your school or college both has a database of alumni or a LinkedIn web page you need to use that will help you determine in style firms alumni work for. Should you aren’t accustomed to how LinkedIn’s alumni pages work, verify this text out.
5. Discover Out About Small Corporations
Smaller firms account for a superb share of jobs. The factor is, smaller firms are more durable to seek out. They don’t have the advertising finances, they don’t have the worker community, they’re operating lean and imply. So how do you discover out about them? Listed here are locations to verify:
- Recipients of Enterprise Capital funding
- Members of Chambers of Commerce
- Skilled associations
- Native financial improvement web site
Should you actually need to work for a small employer, I counsel you search all these assets. Plus, verify your native newspaper recurrently for information about firms and tasks in your space.
6. Use the Energy of Google
You possibly can seek for firms utilizing Google, for instance:
“Greatest Advertising Corporations in Detroit Michigan”
Additionally arrange Google Alerts to extend your odds of discovering out about new firms.
7. Use Synthetic Intelligence
One of many many advantages of AI is that it does the analysis. Utilizing real-time web search is often extra correct. For that motive, I like to recommend utilizing Claude.ai, Perplexity.ai, Gemini or Copilot.
The key to getting good outcomes is asking the proper query. And the extra particular you’re the higher.
Begin with a immediate like this:
Create a listing of employers in [Rochester, NY] which have employed [digital marketing] roles.
However don’t cease there.
Ask a followup query like “What industries do these employers signify?” This could aid you goal different employers in these industries.
And to uncover extra alternatives, ask this followup query: “What startups within the Rochester, NY space rent digital advertising professionals?”
Deal with AI like you’re giving directions to somebody. Refine the outcomes by asking extra questions throughout the thread.
8. Ask Individuals You Know
Buddies & Household
Family and friends members could LOVE their employer. However don’t ask if they’re hiring. As a substitute, ask in the event that they like the place they work and why.
Service Suppliers
You too can ask service suppliers (hairdressers, accountants, monetary planners, mechanics) in the event that they learn about firms which can be in your business. You would possibly say one thing like:
“Have you ever heard about any tech firms within the space?”
Previous Co-Employees/Colleagues
A number of the individuals you used to work with could have moved on to different firms. Ask them the identical query:
“Have you ever heard of any tech firms which can be doing nice issues?”
Shoppers/Clients
Your previous shoppers or prospects, suppliers or distributors even have their finger on the heartbeat of what’s occurring in your business. Ask them what firms they’re watching.
9. Job Boards
I’ve saved the simplest for final. Utilizing job boards will present you what firms are promoting jobs. That is an apparent place to uncover employers, not only for the present job they’ve open, however for future jobs too. Add these to your goal listing so you’ll be able to take proactive steps to satisfy insiders earlier than the following alternative is posted.
DO NOT ELIMINATE COMPANIES YET
You could have fairly a protracted listing as you undergo these lists and databases. That’s nice.
Really, it’s higher to have extra firms than not sufficient. Concentrate on the highest 10 first. Right here’s what to do:
- Create alerts on every firm’s job board.
- Observe every firm on LinkedIn and if out there, choose “I’m ” on the corporate’s LinkedIN web page.
- Maintain researching the opposite firms on the listing. (You don’t need to miss out on any alternatives that could be instantly out there).
Earlier than you are taking an organization off your listing, have a motive for taking it off your listing. Simply because one individual says they don’t like the corporate or they’ve a couple of unhealthy opinions doesn’t essentially imply it is going to be unhealthy for you. Proceed pursuing every firm till you will have stable info (or higher but, land a job interview).
Put It In Writing
Listing all the corporate names on a spreadsheet and even higher on your advertising plan.
Your spreadsheet will aid you hold monitor of:
- Contacts at every firm
- Individuals you need to meet at every firm
- Profession web page hyperlink
- Jobs you utilized for and standing
Don’t Go Away…You’re not performed but!
You aren’t simply what jobs they’ve posted. They might not have something listed.
The next step is to seek out individuals you’ll be able to have an informational assembly with inside every of your goal firms.
As a way to do that, you must determine who or are linked to inside the corporate. Right here’s how one can discover the names of individuals inside goal firms.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and profession methods. She based CareerSherpa.web to coach professionals on how one can maneuver by means of right this moment’s job search course of. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Prime Voice in Job Search and Careers and is an everyday contributor to US Information & World Report. She has been quoted by media retailers, together with Forbes, USA Immediately, Cash Journal, Huffington Submit, in addition to many different publications. She can also be creator of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Enterprise Success.
