LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 722 million users worldwide. With so many profiles, LinkedIn offers robust search functionality to help users find and connect with relevant professionals.
One of the most common search filters on LinkedIn is searching by education or degree. LinkedIn allows you to search for profiles based on the degrees someone has earned.
Searching by degree can be extremely helpful for a variety of use cases, such as:
- Recruiting candidates with specific educational backgrounds
- Researching professionals who graduated from a certain university
- Connecting with alumni from your alma mater
- Discovering new industry experts and thought leaders
Overall, the ability to search by degree gives users an effective way to narrow down LinkedIn’s huge member base and pinpoint the most relevant profiles.
How to Search by Degree on LinkedIn
Searching for profiles by degree is easy to do on LinkedIn. Here are step-by-step instructions:
- Go to www.linkedin.com and log into your account.
- Type the name of the degree into the main search bar. For example, “MBA” or “Bachelor of Science in Nursing”.
- Press enter to run the search.
- On the results page, LinkedIn will automatically filter profiles based on the degree you searched.
- Use the filters on the left side to narrow your search further by industry, location, company, etc.
- Browse the list of profiles and click “Connect” to send a connection request to any you would like to reach out to.
Alternatively, you can search by school name first, then filter by degree on the results page. Both approaches work well to find profiles based on academic credentials.
What Degrees Can You Search for on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn allows you to search for just about any type of degree or academic program, including:
- Associate’s degrees (AA, AS)
- Bachelor’s degrees (BA, BS, BBA)
- Master’s degrees (MBA, MA, MS)
- Doctoral degrees (PhD, EdD, DBA)
- Professional degrees (MD, JD, DDS)
- Certificates and diplomas
- Vocational qualifications
- Bootcamp credentials
As long as members list their degrees and schools on their LinkedIn profiles, you can search for any academic credential imaginable. This makes it easy to identify graduates from all educational backgrounds.
Advanced Search Options for Degrees
Beyond basic keyword searches, LinkedIn offers some advanced options for refining searches by degree:
- Degree Status: Search by completed degrees only or include incomplete degrees.
- Graduation Year: Filter profiles based on when they graduated.
- Field of Study: Match the specific major or program.
- Grade: Search by grade achieved, such as cum laude honors.
Using these filters under the “Education” section on the left sidebar will give you maximum control over degree-based searches. You can zero in on profiles that match very nuanced academic criteria.
Tips for Effective Degree Searching
Here are some tips to get the most out of searching LinkedIn by degree:
- Make sure your own degrees are filled out completely in your profile. This helps your profile surface in relevant searches.
- Try broad keyword searches first, then narrow down. Starting too narrow may exclude some potential matches.
- Search byprogram type or major if you can’t find a degree name keyword.
- Don’t limit yourself to one school – search the degree name across all universities.
- Apply location filters carefully. Many alumni don’t live near their alma mater.
Pro Tips for Advanced LinkedIn Degree Searches
Take your LinkedIn degree searches to the next level with these pro tips:
- Search by multiple degrees to find professionals with several credentials.
- Look for rising stars by searching recent graduation years.
- Find alumni who graduated the same years as you did.
- Search by online degrees to discover professionals who studied remotely.
Combining these approaches can uncover some hidden gems – profiles you may have otherwise missed in a standard keyword search.
Conclusion
Searching LinkedIn by degree opens up many possibilities for finding relevant connections and talent pools. Whether you want to network with fellow alumni, recruit candidates, or gain industry expertise – degree searches help filter LinkedIn’s massive membership to the most pertinent profiles.
As long as you use precise degree names and keywords, apply filters carefully, and experiment with advanced search operators – you can unlock the full power of degree searching on LinkedIn. Just remember to keep your own profile updated with your academic credentials so you are findable as well!
