Find companies hiring near you that aren't on job boards

Many jobs never get posted. Small and mid-size businesses often hire through referrals and direct outreach instead of paying to list on job boards. This prompt helps you find those companies so you can reach them before a job posting even exists.

Use this with ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or any AI tool that has web search or research mode enabled. Replace the brackets with your details.

I'm looking for a [JOB TYPE] role in [CITY/REGION].

Find me 20 local companies that might hire for this role. Focus on small to mid-size businesses that probably don't post on major job boards.

For each company, give me:
- Company name
- What they do (1 sentence)
- Why they might need a [JOB TYPE]
- Their website URL

Focus on companies where I could realistically reach a decision-maker directly, not companies with big HR departments and online application portals.

Skip national chains and franchises. I want local and regional businesses.

What to do with the list

Don’t blast out applications. These are small businesses, and they respond to personal outreach.

1. Go to each company’s website. Find a contact email or phone number (small businesses usually list these right on the site).

2. Send a short intro. Something like:

Hi [Name], I’m a [JOB TYPE] in [CITY]. I came across [COMPANY] and liked [something specific about what they do]. I’d love to chat if you’re ever looking for help with [your area of expertise].

3. Follow up once if you don’t hear back after a week. Then move on.

That’s it. You’re reaching people before they post a job, you’re not competing with hundreds of other applicants, and you’re meeting small businesses the way they actually hire: through people who reach out directly.

Tips for better results

• Web search must be enabled. This prompt only works if the AI can search the internet. In ChatGPT, use the browse or research feature. In Claude, use web search. In Perplexity, it’s on by default.
• Get specific about your region. “Denver metro area” works better than “Colorado.” The more local, the better the results.
• Run it multiple times with different job types. If you could do marketing or operations work, run the prompt for each. You’ll get different companies.
• Use the company research prompt to dig deeper on any company that looks interesting before reaching out.
• Once you’ve written your outreach message, the LinkedIn outreach prompt can help you find and message the right person if you can’t find contact info on the website.
• This approach works best for roles where small businesses hire: marketing, operations, accounting, sales, admin, IT. It’s less useful for specialized roles that only exist at larger companies.