Your career search can often times feel like going on a journey or planning a big trip. You would never leave your doorstep without first making a plan, packing your bags, and doing your research on the destination. Similarly, with your career search, it requires some advanced planning so you can get to where you want to go and see all the sights along the way.
Developing a thoughtful target company list is a great place to start. Think about it like your trip itinerary. Before a company can make it on your list, you need to start with research. As a WashU and Olin student, you have a lot of great resources at your disposal to do just that. If in doubt, Schedule an appointment with a Career Coach for additional support.
Here are a couple of options for helpful company target list templates to help keep you organized:
Steps & criteria to consider when building your target company list:
- Include companies you already love: Examples could include any companies whose values align with yours or who make your favorite products. Walt Disney says “If you can dream it, you can do it.” This is your chance to try!
- Review industry lists: Get to know the main players in your industry or industries of choice. You can learn about them from resources like the Vault Guides, the Muse, or Google phrases like “Fastest growing companies in St. Louis,” “top digital marketing firms in Chicago,” “most diverse tech companies,” or “startups in New York City” as examples.
- For industry-specific resources, check out the various DISCOVER Sections on this site.
- Understand WashU’s footprint: It’s helpful to know where other students have accepted jobs to either prompt ideas or inform you of companies where you may have ready advocates. LinkedIn: consistently the most up-to-date and comprehensive view of our alumni’s employment information.
- Stay up-to-date with which companies are actively targeting WashU students during this recruiting season: Regularly check Handshake and set up search alerts based upon targeted criteria to stay in the know. Check in with your career coach in case they have specific company intel you should know.
- Understand who sponsors: For our international students looking to stay in the United States for employment, it’s important to have an up-to-date view of which companies are open to sponsoring H1-B visas. This is an ever evolving landscape, so work with the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) and your career coach to develop your plan.
- Lastly, narrow your search list to 10-20 organizations. Keep your list concise and actionable. Review it with a career coach!