Yes, LinkedIn still offers an advanced search feature that allows users to fine-tune their searches beyond just keywords. The advanced search gives users more control over their LinkedIn search results by enabling them to filter by a variety of parameters.
What is LinkedIn advanced search?
LinkedIn’s advanced search option allows you to filter your search results by specifying criteria such as location, company, job title, industry, skills, language, seniority level, and more. This gives you the ability to narrow down your search results to find more targeted profiles and make your searches more effective.
For example, instead of just searching for “project manager,” you could search for “project manager AND San Francisco AND IT industry.” This would show you project managers specifically located in San Francisco who work in the IT industry.
Why use LinkedIn advanced search?
Here are some of the key reasons to use LinkedIn’s advanced search functionality:
- Find more targeted profiles – Advanced search filters let you zero in on profiles that match your specific criteria, eliminating irrelevant results.
- Better recruit candidates – Recruiters can source better candidates by filtering for skills, experience level and other job requirements.
- Conduct competitive research – By filtering by company and job title, you can research competitor companies and roles.
- Filter your network – Advanced search lets you filter your network by location, industry, skills and other criteria.
- Boolean search – Combine keywords and filters using AND/OR/NOT operators to fine-tune searches.
In summary, LinkedIn’s advanced search gives you more precision and control over your search results, helping you find the right people and information more efficiently.
How to use LinkedIn advanced search
Using LinkedIn advanced search is easy. Simply follow these steps:
- Go to www.linkedin.com and log in to your account.
- Type your initial search keywords into the main search bar at the top of the page. For example, “project manager.”
- Click on the “Advanced” link next to the search bar. This will open up the advanced search filters.
- Specify your advanced criteria using the various filter drop-downs. For example, location, current company, industry, past company etc.
- Click the “Search” button to run your advanced search.
As you apply filters, you’ll notice the results update in real-time. You can keep adding or removing filters until you get the targeted results you want.
Here are some of the key advanced filters you can use:
Filter | Description |
---|---|
Keyword | Search keywords in profile text, skills, etc. |
Location | Search by user location city, state or country. |
Current company | Search by name of user’s current company. |
Industry | Search by industry like IT, Healthcare etc. |
Past company | Search by name of user’s past company. |
School | Search by user’s school name. |
Title | Search by user’s current job title. |
Skills | Search by skills listed on user profiles. |
Language | Search by languages user knows. |
Network | Search only within your network connections. |
These are just a few examples – there are many more filters you can apply to narrow your LinkedIn search results. Experiment with different combinations of filters to get the advanced search working for your specific needs.
LinkedIn advanced search examples
Here are a few examples of advanced LinkedIn searches:
- Software engineers at Facebook in Seattle – Use current company, location, and title filters.
- Dentists who graduated from NYU – Use school and title filters.
- Venture capital investors in California with AI skills – Use location, industry, and skills filters.
- Nurses who worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital – Use past company and title filters.
- Designers proficient in Figma and Sketch – Use a Boolean search with multiple skills.
The possibilities are nearly endless for the types of searches you can construct using LinkedIn advanced search filters. Come up with search queries tailored to your specific professional needs.
Advanced search tips
Here are some tips to use LinkedIn advanced search effectively:
- Start broad – Begin with a broad keyword search before adding filters to narrow it down.
- Use Boolean operators – Combine keywords like project AND manager for more relevant results.
- Filter incrementally – Add/remove filters incrementally to pinpoint your search.
- Try different combinations – Don’t be afraid to experiment with different filter combinations.
- Check “Past companies” – Searching past companies can uncover hidden connections.
- Follow up connections – Message and connect with search prospects.
LinkedIn Recruiter advanced search
LinkedIn Recruiter is LinkedIn’s premium recruitment platform that offers enhanced searching capabilities for identifying and connecting with top talent.
LinkedIn Recruiter includes all the advanced search functionality discussed above, plus these additional advanced filters exclusively for Recruiter:
- Seniority level
- Years of experience
- Company size
- Education level
- Groups and interests
- Certifications
Recruiter also provides talent pool matching, InMail messaging, and other tools to engage prospective candidates. So if you’re looking to take your LinkedIn searching to the next level for recruiting, LinkedIn Recruiter is worth exploring.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn’s advanced search feature provides a powerful way to filter your searches by specific criteria and zero in on the most relevant profiles and connections for your needs. Whether you’re sourcing candidates, researching companies, or building your professional network, take advantage of advanced search to maximize your time spent searching on LinkedIn.