Back in the days of the fax machine, a friend called me from work—frustrated, stuck, and in tears.

“I can’t stand to work here anymore,” she said. “But I can’t afford to be unemployed. What should I do?”

She wasn’t lazy. She wasn’t unqualified. She was just worn down by a job that didn’t align with who she was. What she needed wasn’t just a paycheck—it was purpose. She needed to find an employer she could believe in.

So I pulled out a chamber of commerce directory, fired up my fax machine, and put my marketing chops to work. We identified the types of local employers she respected—companies doing work that mattered. We crafted a compelling cover letter and resume and sent them out late Sunday night so they’d be the first thing seen on the fax machine on Monday morning.

Within 48 hours, she had four calls. And by the end of the week, she had three interviews and two job offers.

That experience stuck with me—not just because it worked, but because it revealed something most job sites completely miss: people aren’t just looking for jobs—they’re looking for the right kind of employer.

That same insight hit me again while browsing a national job site. I noticed a posting for a huge national corporation. Then I saw it again… and again. The exact same big corporate job was being marketed in multiple small towns—places where they didn’t even have a presence. It was a bait-and-switch. And it proved the point: big job boards aren’t built for local talent or local employers.