LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for connecting with professionals in your desired industry. With over 740 million members worldwide, chances are good that your target contacts are on LinkedIn. By leveraging LinkedIn’s search functionality and optimizing your profile, you can effectively find and connect with relevant industry players on the platform.
Define Your Target Industry and Contacts
First, clarify the specific industry and types of professionals you want to connect with. For example, you may want to connect with investment bankers in New York City or software engineers at startups in the San Francisco Bay Area. Defining your priorities will allow you to craft more targeted searches.
Make a list of companies and job titles that align with your goals. Looking to connect with venture capitalists? Your list may include job titles like Partner, Investor, VC, and Angel Investor and firms like Sequoia Capital, Accel, and Greylock Partners.
Leverage LinkedIn’s Search Bar
LinkedIn’s search bar allows you to search for other members, companies, jobs, content, and groups. Here are some tips for effective searching:
- Search by name – Look up members by their first and last name.
- Search by company – Find employees of a certain company.
- Search by title – Specify a job title to view relevant profiles.
- Search by school – Connect with alumni from a particular university.
- Search by group – Discover members of industry-specific groups.
- Search by location – Limit results to a certain city, state, or country.
You can combine filters like industry, company size, and seniority level to narrow your search even further.
Optimize Your Profile for Discovery
Make sure your own LinkedIn profile is optimized so that relevant professionals can easily find you and understand your background at a glance. Here are some profile tips:
- Include your target industry in your headline and description. For example, “Financial Analyst seeking opportunities in Investment Banking.”
- Detail your experience, skills, and accomplishments in your industry of interest.
- Join relevant industry groups and follow target companies to stand out in search results.
- List any shared schools or employers you have with the contacts you want to connect with.
Search Within Your Network
If you already have some connections in your target industry, tap into your existing network. You can enter a company name on LinkedIn and browse employees of that company that you are connected to through your network.
You can also search for 2nd and 3rd degree connections. People you share connections with but are not yet connected to yourself. Reach out and ask for an introduction through your mutual connections.
Leverage LinkedIn’s Advanced Search
For more refined searches, use LinkedIn’s advanced search feature. To access it, click “Advanced” next to the main search bar. Here are some advanced search filters to try:
- Profile Language – Search by language to find internationals.
- Relationship – Find 2nd or 3rd degree connections.
- Nonprofit Interests – Target those interested in certain causes.
- Years of Experience – Specify a range like 5-10 years.
- Company Followed – See who follows target companies.
Using multiple advanced filters together will produce the most targeted, relevant search results.
Join Industry Groups
Joining LinkedIn Groups related to your target industry is a great way to increase your visibility and connect with like-minded professionals. Here are some tips for finding and joining Groups:
- Search for Groups by keyword such as “Engineering” or “Human Resources.”
- Browse Groups that your connections are members of.
- Sort Group search results by number of members or recent activity.
- Join Groups as a member and participate by commenting on discussions.
Interacting consistently in niche industry Groups will get you noticed and expand your network.
Follow Target Companies
Following companies you want to work for or collaborate with can help you stay on their radar. Here are some tips for following companies strategically:
- Research target companies and follow their company pages.
- Set notifications so you are alerted when they post jobs or updates.
- Engage with their content by liking and commenting.
- Pay attention to employees that engage with the company’s posts.
- Connect directly with company employees through thoughtful messages.
Following relevant companies signals your interest and gives you insider access to news and job postings.
Attend Industry Events
Industry events provide prime networking opportunities. Use LinkedIn to find relevant events and connect with attendees.
- Check the events section of industry Group pages you have joined.
- Search for events by location and keywords.
- Look for virtual events to attend if in-person is not possible.
- Connect with featured speakers and panelists before the event.
- Follow up with your connections and leads after events.
Connecting in real life strengthens relationships established online.
Follow Company Influencers
Following and engaging with influencers at your target companies can help you get noticed. Here are some tips:
- Identify C-suite executives, founders, directors, and other leaders to follow.
- Comment on and share their posts to stand out.
- Congratulate them on promotions, new ventures, or award wins.
- Share your own content that would interest them.
- Politely ask to connect if you have shared interests or contacts.
Thoughtful engagement with company influencers can lead to valuable relationships.
Connect with Alumni
Fellow alumni are natural contacts since you already have an institution in common. Here are some alumni search tips:
- Join your university’s LinkedIn alumni Group.
- Follow company pages of prominent alumni employers.
- Search alumni by school and filter by your target industry.
- Contact alumni working in your dream jobs.
- Offer career advice to recent graduates in your field.
Alumni are often willing to help fellow graduates of their alma mater.
Give Industry Advice
Positions yourself as an industry thought leader by sharing advice. Here are some ideas:
- Publish posts with tips and insights useful to your field.
- Offer commentary on industry news and trends.
- Share positive reviews on the pages of companies you admire.
- Create polls and surveys to engage your connections.
- Give thoughtful feedback on other members’ content.
Demonstrating your expertise and thought leadership attracts new contacts.
Make Warm Introductions
Introductions made through mutual connections convert better than cold outreach. Here are some tips:
- Determine which connections can introduce you to your target contact.
- Approach the mutual connection and explain why you want to connect.
- Ask your contact to make the introduction over LinkedIn message.
- Mention the mutual connection in your outreach message.
- Offer to return the favor by making introductions in the future.
A warm introduction adds credibility and increases response rates.
Craft Personalized Messages
When reaching out directly over LinkedIn, personalize your approach. Here are some best practices:
- Address them by their name and company role.
- Mention shared connections, interests, or experiences.
- Explain why you want to connect with them specifically.
- Keep it brief but thoughtful to show extra effort.
- Reference recent news or postings of theirs if possible.
Thoughtful messages show you researched the recipient and make meaningful connections.
Provide Value
Focus on giving value instead of asking for favors. Here are some ideas:
- Share articles or resources the other member would find interesting.
- Congratulate them on promotions, projects, or awards.
- Offer advice based on your experience in the industry.
- Give endorsements and recommendations celebrating their skills.
- Offer to make introductions to contacts who could help them.
Providing value builds goodwill and establishes you as a trusted resource.
Follow Up Politely
If someone doesn’t respond right away, don’t take it personally. Follow up politely with these tips:
- Wait at least 2 weeks before following up to avoid pestering them.
- Remind them who you are and where you met or connected.
- Reiterate why you want to connect in a concise way.
- Consider changing your approach or offer if your initial message got no response.
- Know when to move on if multiple attempts get no reply.
Persistence pays off, but also respect their time and response preferences.
Expand Your Network
Growing your network over time provides more opportunities to connect. Here are some ideas:
- Connect with people who engage with your posts and content.
- Follow companies and influencers in adjacent industries.
- Join local professional organizations and associations.
- Attend conferences and events outside your core field.
- Engage meaningfully with new connections and ask thoughtful questions.
Broadening your reach leads to referrals you may have never discovered.
Keep an Organized Process
Stay organized as you scale up outreach. Some ideas include:
- Maintain a spreadsheet to track your outreach messages and responses.
- Categorize leads based on priority and connection strength.
- Schedule follow up reminders for pending responses.
- Personalize outreach templates you can reuse efficiently.
- Tag or group connections related to target companies or opportunities.
An organized system helps ensure effective follow through at scale.
Turn Connections into Conversations
Convert your connections into substantive conversations. Some techniques include:
- Reference previous messages to continue the dialogue.
- Discuss trends impacting the contact’s company or industry.
- Share examples that illustrate concepts you are discussing.
- Ask thoughtful follow up questions to their responses.
- Gradually develop the relationship before asking for favors.
Moving beyond a superficial connection builds rapport and trust.
Request Informational Interviews
Take your relationship offline by requesting informational interviews. Some best practices include:
- Select contacts who know your target companies or roles well.
- Explain you are looking to learn more about their career path and industry.
- Suggest a 20-30 minute call at a time convenient for them.
- Come prepared with thoughtful questions to show you value their time.
- Close by asking if they know any others who may be good to connect with.
Informational interviews provide valuable insights from seasoned professionals.
Join Relevant LinkedIn Groups
Groups focused on your target industry enable you to engage with other members. Some tips include:
- Search for niche industry, skill, and location-based Groups.
- Join Groups with the most active members and discussions.
- Set notifications so you are alerted to relevant discussions.
- Share your expertise and perspective in Group discussions.
- Connect directly with Group members who interest you.
Active participation in niche Groups expands your reach.
Conclusion
Finding and connecting with professionals in your desired industry is very doable with LinkedIn’s powerful search and network tools. Define your target contacts, optimize your profile, actively participate in Groups and discussions, and reach out to provide value. With a thoughtful process, persistence, and relationship-building skills, you can establish the connections that advance your career.
