How do I find someone on LinkedIn without premium?

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 850 million members. With so many professionals on the platform, LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool for finding and connecting with people. However, some of LinkedIn’s more advanced searching and messaging capabilities are locked behind their premium subscriptions. Fortunately, LinkedIn still provides enough functionality for free users to search for and find people without upgrading to a paid account.

Searching by Name

The most straightforward way to find someone on LinkedIn is by searching for them by name. To do this:

1. Go to LinkedIn.com and log into your account.
2. Type the full name of the person you are searching for into the main search bar at the top of the page. Make sure to use the person’s full name, including first and last names, to get more targeted results.
3. Hit enter. LinkedIn will display a list of profiles matching that name.

LinkedIn’s search algorithm will do its best to match the name you entered with member profiles on the platform. Depending on how common or unusual the name is, you may get anywhere from zero to thousands of results. To narrow it down:

• Add additional keywords like location, company, school, etc. to the search query using the advanced search filters.
• Review profile photos and details like current employer to identify the correct individual.
• If needed, use LinkedIn’s sorting and filtering tools on the results page to refine the results further.

With a bit of scrolling and comparing, you should be able to identify the profile of the person you are trying to find based on their name alone.

Searching by Email Address or Phone Number

If you can’t locate someone by their name alone, another option is searching by their email address or phone number. To do this:

1. Go to LinkedIn.com and click on the “Find members” link at the top of the page (next to the main search bar).
2. On the Find Members page, click the link for “Email or Phone” under the “Find members by” header.
3. Enter the email address or phone number for the person you are trying to find.
4. Click the “Search” button. LinkedIn will display member profiles associated with that contact information.

Keep in mind that email address and phone number searches on LinkedIn are based on information members have added to their profiles. If the person you are searching for has not included their email or phone number on their profile, this search method will not work.

Browsing Your Network and Connections

Another way to potentially find someone on LinkedIn is by browsing your own network of connections. There is a good chance you are already connected to the person or are connected through a mutual acquaintance.

To browse your network:

1. Click on “My Network” from the top menu bar.
2. This will display your connections grouped by 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree connections.
3. Browse through your list of connections. If you are connected to the person, they will appear here.
4. You can also browse 2nd and 3rd degree connections. The person you are looking for may appear under the connections of your connections.

LinkedIn also has a search bar on the My Network page. You can use this to search for the person specifically within your network.

Reaching Out to Connect

Once you’ve found the right member profile for the person you want to connect with, the next step is to reach out and connect by sending them an invite. As a free user, you are limited to inviting only people you know personally or have had some form of engagement with outside of LinkedIn.

To send a connection invitation:

1. Click the “Connect” button on their profile.
2. On the next screen, select how you know the person from the dropdown menu.
3. Personalize the invitation message with a friendly note.
4. Click “Send Invitation.” They will receive your invite to connect in their LinkedIn inbox.

The person will then have the option to accept or ignore your connection invitation. If they accept, you are now connected on LinkedIn and can interact further.

Messaging Connections

One limitation of LinkedIn for free users is that you can only message people who are already connections in your network. If you want to reach out to someone you found in search but are not connected to, you will need a premium account.

However, messaging existing connections is available in the free version. To message a connection:

1. Click into the profile of the connection you want to message.
2. Click the “Message” button in the top right corner of their profile.
3. This will open up a messaging window where you can type out your message.
4. Hit enter to send your message. This will go to the person as a LinkedIn inbox message.

Messaging connections is a great way to reengage and maintain relationships with your network. Just keep in mind you can only message existing connections on the free tier.

Searching People Who View Your Profile

A neat way to potentially uncover connections is by seeing who has viewed your LinkedIn profile. People viewing your profile likely did so because they know you or are interested in connecting.

To see who’s viewed you:

1. Click on “My Network” in the top menu.
2. Click on “See all” under the “Who’s viewed your profile” section.
3. This will show you a list of people who have viewed your profile recently.
4. You can connect with anyone interesting by clicking on their name and sending a connection invitation.

LinkedIn will only show a limited number of profile viewers. But it can still be a great way to uncover potential new connections.

Joining LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups based on topics, industries, interests, schools, and more can be a valuable networking resource. By joining Groups related to your professional interests, you can connect with like-minded members.

To leverage Groups for networking:

1. Use LinkedIn’s search bar to find relevant Groups to join.
2. Browse Group members and start connecting with ones that seem interesting.
3. Engage in Group discussions to establish your expertise and get noticed.
4. Message Group members you connected with to further the relationship.

Active participation in the right Groups can lead to connecting with professionals you may have never come across otherwise.

Following Company Pages

Following Company Pages on LinkedIn can let you uncover employees at organizations you want to connect with or work for. All you need to do is:

1. Search for the Company Page you want to follow.
2. Click the “Follow” button near the top of their page.
3. You will now receive updates on the Company Page which often showcase their employees.
4. Connect with any interesting employees by clicking on their name and sending an invite.

Companies will frequently post about new hires, employee accomplishments, and company events. Following relevant Pages can put you on the radar of the right professional contacts.

Connecting at Events

Attending in-person conferences, meetups, and industry events can be a powerful way to make new connections. Oftentimes, attendees will include a link to their LinkedIn profile in their nametags or biographies.

To leverage events for networking:

• Proactively ask event participants for their LinkedIn profiles.
• Search for their profiles between sessions and send connection invitations.
• Mention you met them at the event in your invite note to provide context.
• Follow up after the event to continue the relationship.

In-person events make connecting on LinkedIn feel more natural. The shared experience gives you a relationship basis for the invitation.

Finding Alumni

LinkedIn automatically creates alumni Groups for schools to help classmates reconnect. Here is how to use alumni Groups to connect with fellow alumni:

1. Search for your university’s alumni Group page.
2. Browse members of the Group and connect with ones you may know or remember.
3. Mention your shared alma mater in your connection invitation to activate school spirit!
4. Use the alumni Group feed to engage with your fellow alums.

Alumni Groups provide a built-in networking opportunity based on the shared bond of the university you attended.

Getting Introductions

Having a mutual connection provide a warm introduction can go a long way in establishing new professional relationships. Here are some tips for getting LinkedIn intros:

• Identify contacts who likely know the person you want to connect with.
• Explain why you want to connect with the other person and how they could benefit.
• Ask your shared contact if they would be willing to provide an introductory message.
• Once introduced, follow up promptly to move the relationship forward.

Taking advantage of your existing network to provide intros to new contacts is a recommended LinkedIn best practice.

Searching by Company

Targeting your LinkedIn search by company can help reveal contacts working at organizations you want to connect with. To search this way:

1. Use the main search bar to search by the company name.
2. Filter the results using the left sidebar to narrow to people.
3. Browse the employee profiles for ones you share common ground with.
4. Mention the company in your invite to establish rapport.

Searching company profiles makes it easy to discover new professional relationships based on shared workplaces.

Conclusion

While LinkedIn limits some functionality for free accounts, there are still plenty of ways to search for and find people without a premium subscription. By using name searches, browsing your network, joining Groups, connecting at events, and leveraging your contacts, you can connect with professionals on LinkedIn without upgrade fees. Just be personalized when reaching out, highlight any common ground you share, and focus on continuing relationships after connecting.