How do I exclude a company from LinkedIn recruiter search?

Finding the right candidates for open positions can be a challenging task for recruiters. LinkedIn Recruiter is a powerful search tool that allows recruiters to source potential candidates based on various criteria. However, there may be times when you want to exclude certain companies from your LinkedIn Recruiter search results. For example, you may not want to source candidates who currently work at a competitor. Or there could be companies you know do not have the type of talent you need. Fortunately, LinkedIn Recruiter provides a way to easily exclude specific companies from your search results.

Using Boolean Search Operators

The easiest way to exclude a company from your LinkedIn Recruiter search is by using Boolean search operators. Boolean operators allow you to define more precise searches by combining keywords with operators like AND, NOT and OR. Here’s how to use the NOT operator to exclude companies:

• Put the name of the company you want to exclude in double quotes – “Company Name”
• Follow it with the NOT operator
• Optionally add keywords describing the roles or skills you’re seeking

For example: “CompanyX” NOT SVP Sales

This will return candidates with SVP Sales in their profile, excluding anyone who currently works at CompanyX. You can add multiple companies to exclude by repeating the “Company Name” NOT structure.

For example: “CompanyX” NOT “CompanyY” NOT SVP Sales

This search excludes people who work at CompanyX and CompanyY, while returning SVP Sales candidates from other companies.

Using Search Filters

Another option for excluding companies in LinkedIn Recruiter is to use search filters. LinkedIn Recruiter allows you to filter by Current Company in your advanced search settings. Here are the steps:

1. access LinkedIn Recruiter and start a new search
2. Click on the filters icon, usually located near the top right of the search screen
3. Scroll down and click on Additional Filters
4. Check the box for Current Company and select Exclude from the dropdown menu
5. Begin typing the name of the company you want to exclude and select it when it pops up
6. Click Apply to implement the filter

This will automatically exclude anyone currently employed at that company from your results. You can add multiple companies to exclude by repeating these steps.

Saving a Search

If you want to re-use a search that excludes certain companies, you can save it within LinkedIn Recruiter. Here’s how:

1. Construct your search using Boolean operators or filters to exclude companies
2. Click on the Save button at the top of the page
3. Give your search a name and description
4. Make sure to toggle on the “Search alerts enabled” switch
5. Choose how often you want to be notified of new matches
6. Click Save Search

This will save your search parameters so you can easily access and reuse it. You’ll also get notified when new candidates matching your criteria are found. Just remember to update any saved searches regularly if you want to add or remove companies to exclude.

Excluding Companies in a Search Alert

In addition to saving a search, you can also set up search alerts in LinkedIn Recruiter to get notifications of new matches over time. You can exclude specific companies in these alerts using the following steps:

1. Access Recruiter and initiate a search that yields the types of profiles you want to be alerted about
2. Click on the Save button at the top and choose Create a Search Alert
3. Give the alert a name and configure the frequency for notifications
4. Scroll down to Refine Your Alert and click on Additional Filters
5. Choose Current Company, select Exclude and enter the names of companies to exclude
6. Click Apply and then click Save Alert

This will create a search alert matching your criteria that also excludes people currently working for the selected companies. You’ll get periodic notifications whenever new matches are found.

Exporting Search Results

Once you’ve refined your search in LinkedIn Recruiter to exclude certain companies, you may want to export the results. Exporting gives you a list you can reference later or share with colleagues. Here’s how to export your search results:

1. Run your search with exclusions as needed
2. Click on the Export button near the top of the results list
3. Select Export to CSV or Excel depending on which format you prefer
4. The exported file will download to your computer with key profile data for each search result

Having these search results exported allows you to do further analysis in a spreadsheet program. You can track factors like skills and experience levels of the candidates returned by your customized search parameters.

Other Tips for Excluding Companies

Here are some additional pointers for successfully excluding specific companies from your LinkedIn Recruiter searches:

• Double check spelling – Make sure you spell the company name correctly or you may not exclude all employees
• Try variations – When excluding large companies, try variations on the name like “IBM”, “International Business Machines”, “IBM Corporation”
• Check profiles – Occasionally spot check profiles of your search results to confirm the company exclusion worked as expected
• Test searches – Try out different combinations of operators and filters to see what yields the best results for your needs
• Refine over time – Revisit saved searches and alerts frequently to tweak company exclusions as needed

Conclusion

Excluding companies from your LinkedIn Recruiter candidate searches can be very beneficial for recruiters. It helps ensure you’re focusing on people with the background and skills you need, from companies that align with your recruiting goals. Using Boolean operators and filters makes it easy to implement company exclusions in your regular and saved searches. Just be sure to periodically revisit your search criteria to modify company exclusions as your recruiting needs evolve.

With some practice, you’ll be able to get highly targeted and useful results from LinkedIn Recruiter while screening out companies you aren’t interested in recruiting from. Precise searches lead to better candidate pipelines and more successful hiring outcomes. Take the time to strategically exclude non-target companies and you’ll get the high-quality results you want from LinkedIn Recruiter.