Most senior job searches start in the wrong place: scrolling LinkedIn or Indeed for postings. The faster path is sourcing target companies first, then checking their career portals directly.
Here's the 90-minute version.
1. Open a fresh Google Sheet. Columns: Company, Industry, Stage, ATS link, Notes.
2. Start with companies you already know in your target space. Aim for 8–10. Add their direct careers URL, most companies have something like company.com/careers.
3. Use Crunchbase, Pitchbook, or LinkedIn search to find 10 more companies in the same stage and industry. Look for ones at the funding stage your seniority maps to (Series B and up for VP+, Series A for Director+).
4. Check competitor lists of the companies you've already added. Most public companies list peers in their 10-K. Most private ones name competitors in funding announcements.
5. Add 10 adjacent companies, companies serving the same buyer in a different way.
You now have 30 companies. Save the sheet. Each evening, spend 15 minutes checking 5 of their career portals for new openings. By week's end, you've built a personal sourcing system that beats any job board.
— Dr. Hosney Adel