Most searches start in the wrong place, scrolling job boards. Start by building a list of companies, then check their portals directly. Here's the 90-minute version.
1. Open a sheet. Columns: Company, Industry, Stage, Careers URL, Notes.
2. Start with 8-10 companies you already know in your target space. Add each one's direct careers link (usually company.com/careers).
3. Find 10 more at the same stage and in the same industry. Crunchbase, Pitchbook, or LinkedIn search. Match the funding stage your seniority maps to, Series B+ for VP-level, Series A+ for Director.
4. Add competitors of the ones you already listed. Public companies name peers in their filings; private ones name competitors in funding announcements.
5. Add 10 adjacent companies, ones serving the same buyer in a different way.
You now have 30 companies. Save the sheet. Each evening, spend 15 minutes checking five of their career portals for new openings.
By the end of the week you've built a personal sourcing system that beats any job board, because you're catching roles early, direct, before the crowd.
— Dr. Hosney Adel