A Simple Research Plan for Executive Job Search Success, Part 3 of 5

Step 3. Target the Right Companies

Now that you have a good sense of the industry landscape, it is time to narrow down your list of company targets. Start to make a list of the companies on which you want to focus. These companies should hire for the type of work you want to do, in the industry in which you want to do it.

Choose the right company for your executive career change.

Your Plan: Look across your target industry, then narrow your set of company targets.

• Start by evaluating the market in which you want to work and live. If you live in Salt Lake City, UT, and you want to stay there, limit your searches to this geography to start.
• Use Indeed.com, LinkedIn.com, and the many specialty job boards just to get a sense of who is hiring for what positions, but DO NOT apply online for these positions (yet).
• Rather than apply for 10 jobs per week online, reach out to a few key people per week. These people should work in the companies you’ve targeted or know people who do. Make appointments with them for informational interviews.
• Use local business journals and newspapers as resources to learn about companies in your industry, particularly if they are receiving funding or moving to larger space–both indicate corporate growth and, potentially, intent to hire new personnel.
• Read company blogs to learn whether you are interested in their missions, goals, activities, products, and more.
• Do not let recruiters coax you into applying to positions in your target company through them. Present yourself to the right companies first, before you let recruiters present you with a 25%-30% markup to your salary.

Some notes:

Do not be discouraged if a particular company is not posting the job you want to do on its career site. Your strategies need to be focused and include building your network of people inside or related to those companies.

Do not just focus on large companies in your job search. Small and mid-size companies — including start-up companies — are a significant source of new job opportunities. Do not discount a company just on its size; think about its growth potential or life cycle stage.