How to identify decision makers at target accounts using Coresignal filters

Finding the right people to talk to at your target companies shouldn’t feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack. If you sell B2B, you already know: half the battle is figuring out who actually matters—who signs, who blocks, who just sits in meetings. This guide is for anyone tired of guessing and ready to use real data to save time. We’ll walk through how to use Coresignal filters to zero in on decision makers, without getting lost in a sea of profiles.

Let’s keep it practical. These steps are for sales teams, recruiters, and anyone trying to cut through company org charts and get to actual humans who make things happen.


Step 1: Get Clear on Who You Actually Need

Before you dive into filters and data, pause. “Decision maker” is vague. Who, exactly, are you after? Depending on your product, that could mean:

  • The CIO, if you sell enterprise software
  • Head of HR, if you’re offering a recruiting solution
  • The VP of Finance, for SaaS billing tools

Pro tip: Don’t just go for C-suite titles. Sometimes, the SVP actually has more say than the “Chief” who rubber-stamps everything. Figure out which roles have real influence at your target accounts.

What to ignore: Don’t waste time on company-wide “influencers” or brand ambassadors—they rarely have buying power.


Step 2: Know What Coresignal Can (and Can’t) Do

Coresignal pulls professional data from public web sources. That’s a nice way of saying: it’s got lots of up-to-date profiles, but it’s not psychic. You get:

  • Job titles
  • Company names
  • Seniority levels
  • Location
  • Company size
  • Some org chart context (if you’re lucky)

But you won’t get: - Direct emails or phone numbers (it’s not a contact scraping tool) - Secret org charts or backdoor “influence” data - Real-time changes (there’s always some lag)

Translation: It’s great for finding likely decision makers, not for stalking them.


Step 3: Build a List of Target Accounts

You need to know which companies you’re focusing on before you hunt for people. If you already have a list, skip ahead. If not, here’s how to get one:

  1. Filter by industry: Start broad (e.g., “Retail,” “Financial Services”).
  2. Company size: Are you after startups or the Fortune 500? Use employee count as a proxy.
  3. Location: Filter by region or country if that matters for your outreach.

Why bother? Narrowing your company list first keeps you from pulling thousands of irrelevant profiles. More focus = less data cleaning later.


Step 4: Use Coresignal’s Filters to Surface Decision Makers

This is where the real work happens. Coresignal has a ton of filters, but not all of them are equally useful for finding decision makers. Here’s what matters (and what doesn’t):

a. Filter by Seniority

This is your best friend. Coresignal usually tags profiles with “seniority” buckets like:

  • Executive
  • Director
  • Manager
  • Entry

How to use it: Start with “Executive” and “Director.” You can include “Manager” if you sell to mid-level folks.

What to ignore: “Owner” can be noisy—pulls in small business owners or franchisees, which may not be useful unless you target SMB.

b. Filter by Job Title (But Be Careful)

Job titles are messy. There are a hundred ways to say “VP of Marketing.” To get around this:

  • Use keyword searches: “marketing,” “technology,” “finance,” “human resources,” etc.
  • Use wildcards or partial matches if the tool supports it (“operat*” for “Operations,” “COO,” “VP Operations”)
  • Be wary of generic titles: “Consultant,” “Partner,” or “Advisor” can look senior, but often aren’t buyers.

Pro tip: Build a list of 5-10 core titles for each persona you care about. Don’t try to cover everything—focus on the most common.

c. Company Attribute Filters

You already filtered companies, but double-check:

  • Are you targeting subsidiaries or just the parent company?
  • Does Coresignal track current vs. past roles? Stick to “current” to avoid ex-employees.

d. Location Filters

If you sell regionally, this is a must. Otherwise, skip it.


Step 5: Combine Filters to Avoid Junk Results

The magic is in combining filters. Don’t just search for “Director” at “Target Company”—you’ll get a mix of directors in Marketing, IT, Operations, etc.

Example approach: - Company: “Acme Corp” - Seniority: “Director,” “VP,” “C-level” - Department keyword: “IT,” “Technology,” “Engineering” - Location: “United States” (if relevant)

You’ll get a smaller, more relevant list. Yes, you might miss some edge cases, but you’ll miss a lot more junk.

What doesn’t work: Relying on a single filter, or pulling every “executive” and hoping one fits. That just makes more work for you later.


Step 6: Sanity-Check Your List (Don’t Trust Automation Blindly)

Even the best filters turn up weird results. People fudge titles, move jobs, or misclassify themselves. Before you start reaching out:

  • Spot check profiles. Are these really decision makers, or just people with fancy titles?
  • Look for duplicates (people who hold multiple roles, or have old data).
  • Watch for consultants or third-party contractors—these aren’t true decision makers.

Pro tip: If you’re dealing with a long list, prioritize by tenure. Someone who’s been “VP Product” for three years is probably more influential than a brand-new hire.


Step 7: Export and Segment Your Results

Once you’ve got a solid list:

  • Export the data (CSV or your CRM, if possible).
  • Segment by department or title cluster. Group all “IT” leaders, all “Finance,” etc.
  • Flag anything you’re unsure about for manual review later.

Why segment? It lets you tailor your outreach, not blast the same message to a CTO and a Head of HR.


Step 8: Reality Check—What This Process Won’t Do

Let’s be honest: good filters save time, but they don’t replace research or relationships. Here’s what Coresignal filters won’t solve for you:

  • Buying committees: Most deals involve more than one decision maker. Use this process to map the key group, not just “the” person.
  • Org chart politics: Filters can’t tell you who actually drives decisions behind the scenes. Combine this data with LinkedIn sleuthing or direct questions in discovery calls.
  • Contact info: You’ll still need to enrich your list with direct emails or phone numbers elsewhere.

Step 9: Keep It Simple and Iterate

Don’t over-engineer your filters or try to chase every possible title variation. Start with a tight persona, simple filters, and adjust as you go. If you’re not getting the right people, tweak one filter at a time.

If you’re overwhelmed: Start with the basics—company, seniority, department keyword. That alone will get you 80% of the way there.


Wrapping Up

Finding decision makers shouldn’t be a guessing game. With the right use of Coresignal filters, you can cut hours out of your prospecting and avoid the “spray and pray” approach. Keep your filters sharp, don’t trust automation blindly, and always double-check your list before you hit send. Start simple, see what works, and tweak as you go. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s not wasting time on the wrong people.