Written by Vaclav Koranda

10 Ways To Create Your Target Company List

You should never view your job solely as a paycheck — it’s a major part of your life. By carefully considering the type of company you join, you’re not only setting yourself up for professional success but also safeguarding your mental health and overall quality of life. By having a target company list, you turn job hunting from a random process into a deliberate, strategic pursuit. Here are 10 strategies I have put together to help you build your list:

1. Your dream company – Where have you always wanted to work? Maybe it’s one of the FAANG companies or Disney or Pixar, or the hot local startup. Maybe it’s one that you have heard lots of good things about. Maybe it’s your hometown sports team’s front office. Add your dream companies to the list no matter how crazy. You never know when one of your connections might know someone who works there.

2. The best place to work – Search “Best places to work in <enter your city name>”. Most major cities have a list of the best places to work. These are based on surveys run by the local newspapers or magazines. Depending on the list, these are often broken into categories by company size. Scroll through the list and read about the companies. If they’re interesting, add them to your list.

3. Existing connections – One of the best ways to figure out where you want to work is to find out where the people you already know work.

  • Go to LinkedIn→My Network→Connections→Search with filters
  • Revise the Locations to your current city or the city you want to work in
  • Scroll through your 1st degree connections and look at where they work
  • Add companies you’re interested in to the list
  • The best part about identifying where your existing connections work is that you already know someone that works there

4. Former co-workers – A variation of this method is to enter the name of your previous employer into LinkedIn’s search under the Past Company field.

  • Go to LinkedIn→My Network→Connections→Search with filters
  • Click All Filters
  • Scroll to the Past Company section
  • Add names of the companies where you worked in the past
  • You may want to revise the Location to your current city
  • Identify former co-workers you’ve lost touch with. Connect with them and add their company’s name to your list
  • Again, you’ll already have a connection at these companies when you re-connect with former co-workers

5. Competitors of your current company – There’s no need for hesitation here. Unless your contract includes a valid non‑compete clause, feel free to identify the main competitors of your current or former employer. Exploring these companies can reveal valuable opportunities, and the same approach applies to any other organizations you’ve already added to your target list.

6. Job postings – Search online job boards such as Indeed or LinkedIn to identify companies posting multiple job openings. A high volume of postings often signals growth and potential career opportunities. Note the names of these companies, research them further, and add the most promising ones to your target list.

7. Career fairs – This approach works especially well for college students. Start by checking which companies are represented at the biggest career fair of the year in your city. If any appeal to you, add them to your list. You don’t even need to attend in person — most fairs publish their participating employers online. Review the list, research the companies that interest you, and include them in your target list.

8. Glassdoor – Check the top‑rated companies in your industry. Use these ratings to review the companies already on your list. You may decide to add some or remove others based on what you find. Be careful, though: reviews are not always fair. Some can be very negative because the writer left the company on bad terms, while others can be too positive because they were written by HR or paid for by the company.

9. Friends and family – Working in the same company as a friend or family member can have both advantages and drawbacks. On the positive side, they may provide valuable insider information, advocate for you if they have influence with the hiring manager, and help you settle in once you join. However, some organizations enforce strict policies regarding the employment of relatives, so it’s important to check these rules in advance.

10. Take a drive – It may sound unconventional, but why not give this a try? Take a drive around your neighborhood and pay attention to the companies that advertise on billboards or display their names on buildings. Could these be potential places to work? While it might be a long shot, this exercise could spark some creative ideas and expand your job search in unexpected ways.

Do Your Research

No matter which companies are on your list, always do your full research:

  • Find out what they do.
  • What do they post on social media?
  • What do their employees post?
  • What do they claim as their mission and values?
  • Do these things resonate with you?

As you build your target company list, keep in mind how you’ll use it. The goal is to share this list with your connections and ask if they know anyone working at those companies. Sometimes they will, sometimes they won’t — but when you do get a name, that’s your chance to reach out and apply your networking skills: make the connection, start a genuine conversation, listen actively, offer value, and make it easy for others to help you.

That’s why networking is so important — it is arguably the single most valuable skill for building your career. Learn everything about it here: The Power of Networking

Avoid this Pitfall

Don’t keep this list just in your head. Make it a real document you can send or hand to people. That small act turns a vague idea into a powerful tool others can use to connect you to valuable job opportunities.

Conclusion

Building a target company list is more than just an organizational exercise — it’s a way of taking control of your career path. By approaching your job search with clarity and strategy, you shift from chasing opportunities to deliberately choosing the ones that align with your goals and values. The effort you invest in creating this list will pay off in confidence, focus, and ultimately, a role that supports both your professional growth and your wellbeing.

Good luck!

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Do you need my personal assistance? Simply send me your resume and a link to your LinkedIn profile at vaclav@getyourdreamjob.co and I will come back to you!

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