A client messaged me recently, frustrated.

This isn’t someone early in their career. They’re sharp, senior, and have a track record that should make hiring managers light up. But every time they try to take action on their search, they end up back in the same loop - scrolling LinkedIn, clicking on familiar company names, then getting overwhelmed and closing the tab.

They’re not alone. I’ve seen this exact moment with dozens of clients. Smart, capable people who do want to make a change - but who end up stuck, spinning, because they’re missing one critical piece: a clear, strategic target list.

Without it, a job search becomes guesswork.
Reacting instead of leading.
Hoping something great appears instead of building toward it.

Most people approach job searching like this:

They hit a wall in their current role - burnout, boredom, misalignment.
They scroll job boards late at night, applying to anything that feels like a maybe.
They tell themselves they’re “putting feelers out” or “open to opportunities.”
But without focus, it all feels…meh.

And eventually, the process gets so tiring they stop altogether.

It’s not that they don’t want change. They do.
It’s just that the friction is too high. And one of the highest-friction parts is this: figuring out which companies are actually worth your time.

According to a 2023 Gallup report, more than 50% of professionals say they’re actively or passively looking for a new role. And yet only 1 in 10 actually make a move in a given year.

So what’s getting in the way?

For many, it's not a lack of ambition or ability. It's that they're trying to job search with no roadmap.

No clear list of companies. No system for identifying the right fit.
They’re relying on scattered information from too many tabs, too many sites, and too many “maybe someday” postings.

It feels like trying to plan a cross-country road trip with no map, no GPS, and a car that might be out of gas.

Eventually, it’s easier to just stay put.

Client Story Time

One client I worked with had two kids under ten and a job that looked great on paper - but demanded more than they could give.

They’d been holding it all together for years: client deadlines, team management, daycare pickups, the whole juggling act. But it was starting to crack. Even when the job was “going well,” it still cost too much.

They didn’t want to quit without a plan, and they weren’t looking for a unicorn job. Just something better. A role that paid well and gave them back some breathing room. Time. Sanity. A little more life in the work-life balance.

But every time they sat down to search, they froze.

Not because they weren’t serious. But because they had no idea where to start.

The job boards felt overwhelming. They weren’t sure which companies would actually support working parents - or if reaching out was even worth the time. The whole process felt like a part-time job they didn’t have hours for.

And like so many others, they were trying to make a career-defining decision… by guessing.

No target list. No filters. Just scattered effort and a lot of noise.

Here’s the truth:

If you're serious about landing a better role - especially one that fits your life - you need to take the guesswork out of the search.

You need a company hit list: 15–25 organizations that match your values, align with your lifestyle needs, and hire for roles in your zone of genius.

Not just because it gives you direction, but because it lowers the activation energy every single week.

You don’t waste time scrolling endlessly.
You know who to research, who to reach out to, and where to invest your time.
It stops feeling like a black hole and starts to feel like progress.

But building that list? That’s where most people get stuck.

The biggest blockers I hear from clients:

• “How do I even find companies that are a fit?”
• “What if they’re not hiring right now—is it still worth reaching out?”
• “It takes too long to do the research… and then nothing happens.”
• “What if I build this list, and it still leads to a ‘no’?”

All valid.
And all solvable.

Let’s break it down.

How to build a company hit list - without losing your mind

1. Start with your filters

Before you open a single browser tab, pause.
Don’t start with “who’s hiring.”
Start with what you want - and what kind of companies are set up to deliver it.

Ask yourself:

• What industry or problem space excites me right now?
• What size company supports the kind of life I want (think: autonomy, flexibility, pace)?
• What type of culture and leadership style brings out my best?
• Do I want structure - or white space?
• Are there founders, leaders, or types of teams I want to learn from?

Even if your answers are rough, that clarity helps narrow your field significantly.
This is about designing your future - not just escaping your current situation.

2. Use AI to shortcut your research

Most people waste hours bouncing between Glassdoor, Crunchbase, AngelList, and half-filled-out LinkedIn pages. You don’t need to do that.

Instead, let GPT do the heavy lifting.

Try a prompt like:

Or:

Within seconds, you’ll have a rough list to start researching.
It won’t be perfect. But it’ll get you moving—fast.

From there, a little vetting goes a long way.

3. Vet with a simple scoring system

Open a spreadsheet. (Yes, really.)
Across the top, list your non-negotiables: e.g., industry, size, mission alignment, growth potential, flexibility.
Down the side: the companies GPT or your research surfaced.

Score each one 1–5 across those values.
Add notes.
Look for patterns.
Highlight the ones that excite you—even if they’re long shots.

This exercise turns “vague ideas” into “actual targets.”
And it makes your outreach focused and credible.

4. Don’t wait for a job posting

This is key.

The vast majority of roles - especially the good ones - never get posted publicly.
Depending on the source, between 60–80% of jobs are filled through referrals, internal movement, or direct outreach.

So the question isn’t:
​“Are they hiring right now?”​
It’s:
​“Would I want to work there if they were?”

If the answer is yes, start building the relationship now.

Reach out to someone on the team. Ask smart questions. Share what you’re exploring.
You’re not asking for a favor - you’re investing in possibility.

This is how the best roles show up: warm intros, side-door opportunities, needs that haven’t been posted yet.

Waiting for perfect postings = waiting forever.

5. Remember: done is better than perfect

You don’t need to find the exact right 20 companies.
You just need to start with a list that gives you focus.

Treat it like a living doc. Add to it weekly. Trim what doesn’t fit.
Use it as a springboard for real conversations—not a checklist to complete.

Most people never do this. Which is why most people stay stuck in endless scroll mode, telling themselves they’ll “get serious” next month.

But if you commit to this?
If you give yourself two hours this weekend to sit down, get honest, and build your hit list?

You’ll feel the shift immediately.

TL;DR:

This process works.
But only if you actually start it.

Until next week,

Beckie

P.S. If you want help building your hit list, I do this with clients every week.
We look at your goals, your non-negotiables, and your energy - and map out a real search plan that works for your life.

​Click HERE to book your free Career Strategy Call.​

Let’s take the guesswork out of it. You’re too smart to stay stuck.

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