The Best Roles Aren’t Always Posted. Here’s How to Get on Their Radar Anyway.

If you’re building a job search strategy, chances are you’ve heard the advice:
“Start with your target company list.”

But once you have that list… what do you actually do with it?

Waiting for a role to be posted—and applying like everyone else—is too late in today’s market. Especially in CPG, where companies often rely on internal referrals and quiet networking before a job ever hits LinkedIn.

Here’s how to move from passive to proactive—and build real momentum with your top-choice employers.

1️⃣ Map Who You Already Know

Before you go cold, start warm.

• Search for the company on LinkedIn
  
  
• Click “People” to see who works there
  
  
• Filter by 1st- or 2nd-degree connections
  
  

You may already have someone in your network who can offer insight—or better yet, introduce you to a hiring manager.

💡 Pro Tip: Even if you don’t know someone well, a warm referral is often just one introduction away.

2️⃣ Build a Lis...

If You’re Listing Job Duties in Interviews, You’re Missing the Point

One of the most common mistakes I see job seekers make — even really talented, experienced professionals — is talking about their value in terms of responsibilities instead of results.

I hear it all the time in mock interviews and coaching calls:

➡️ “I managed a team of five.”
➡️ “I handled customer accounts.”
➡️ “I was responsible for marketing strategy.”

Here’s the problem: That’s what you did. Not what impact you had.

Hiring managers don’t just want to know what was on your to-do list.
They want to know:
➡️ What changed because you were in that role?
➡️ What did you improve, fix, or create?
➡️ What would you bring to us that you brought to them?

Why Talking About Tasks Doesn’t Work

When you focus on tasks, you blend in.
Everyone in that role does those things.

But when you focus on impact, you stand out.

Think of the difference:

❌ “I led a cross-functional team.”
✅ “I led a cross-functional team that laun...