LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 800 million members. With so many profiles on the platform, finding the right connections or job opportunities can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. This is where LinkedIn’s advanced search features come in handy. Advanced searches allow you to filter your results using multiple parameters to find exactly what you need.
What is an advanced search?
An advanced search on LinkedIn allows you to filter your search results using multiple criteria beyond just keywords. For example, you can search for profiles based on location, company, job title, skills, education, and more. This allows you to narrow down your search results to find more targeted and relevant profiles and job listings.
Some key benefits of using LinkedIn’s advanced search include:
- Find better matched profiles for building your network
- Discover relevant job openings that fit your criteria
- Identify professionals with specific backgrounds, skills or expertise
- Research companies to find employees with desired experience
Overall, advanced searches enable you to go beyond surface-level searching and really tap into the depth of information on LinkedIn to find the right people and opportunities.
How to access the advanced search page
There are a couple of ways to access LinkedIn’s advanced search function:
- On LinkedIn’s homepage, click on the “Search” bar at the top of the page. When you start typing, a “Advanced” link will appear below the search bar. Click on this to open the advanced search page.
- From your LinkedIn feed, click on the “Search” icon in the top menu bar. Then click on “Advanced” next to the search bar at the top of the page.
This will bring you to the full advanced search page where you can specify your search criteria.
Input search parameters
On the advanced search page, you can input various parameters to filter your search. Some key options include:
Keywords
Enter relevant keywords for your search, just like a basic search. For example, “marketing manager” or “accountant.”
Name
Search by first name, last name or the full name of a specific person you want to find.
Company
Search for people who work for a certain company by inputting the company name. Make sure to use the complete and correct company name.
Title
Enter a job title like “recruiter” or “graphic designer” to find people with specific roles.
School
Input a school name to find alumni. Make sure to use the complete school name.
Country/Region
Select a specific country or region to filter for location.
Industry
Choose an industry like healthcare, education, finance, etc. to find professionals in that field.
Skills
Enter key skills to find people proficient in those areas. For example, “social media marketing” or “financial analysis.”
You can get even more targeted by combining multiple search filters. For example, you can search for “marketing managers” within the “San Francisco Bay Area” who have a “MBA” degree.
How to use Boolean search operators
LinkedIn’s advanced search supports the use of Boolean operators to construct more complex keyword searches. Using AND, OR and NOT operators allows you to get precise with your keywords.
AND Operator
The AND operator will return profiles that match both keywords connected by AND. For example:
“marketing AND manager”
This will return profiles that have both “marketing” and “manager” in their profile.
OR Operator
The OR operator broadens your search to profiles matching either keyword. For example:
“marketing OR sales”
This will return profiles with “marketing” or “sales” mentioned.
NOT Operator
Add NOT before a keyword to exclude profiles mentioning that keyword. For example:
“engineer NOT software”
This will return engineer profiles but exclude those mentioning “software” specifically.
Strategic use of Boolean operators helps craft the ideal keyword search for your needs.
Search best practices
Here are some top tips for optimizing your advanced LinkedIn searches:
- Start broad – Use 1 or 2 keywords then narrow down.
- Use relevant job titles and skills.
- Try location filters for local prospects.
- Target by industry and company size if needed.
- Use correct spelling and capitalization.
- Leverage Boolean operators for precision.
- Refine and revise until you get targeted results.
Save your searches
If you want to rerun advanced searches frequently, save them for quick access later. Here’s how:
- After inputting your desired search criteria, click “Save” next to the search button.
- Name the search and save it to “Saved Searches” folder.
- Access saved searches from the “See saved searches” link on search pages.
Saving complex searches avoids having to recreate them each time. You can organize searches into folders too.
Search alerts
Another great option is to set up search alerts – this runs saved searches automatically and emails you the results on a regular basis. Here’s how to set up alerts:
- Click “Create search alert” from search pages or in “Saved searches.”
- Select the saved search and input name for the alert.
- Choose frequency – daily, weekly or monthly updates.
- Add your email address to receive notifications.
- Click “Create Alert”
Alerts are perfect for ongoing networking and recruitment efforts so you get updates delivered regularly.
LinkedIn Recruiter
For power users, LinkedIn Recruiter offers the most advanced search capabilities. Key features include:
- More filter options like years of experience, engagement, groups, etc.
- Search profile text, skills and other fields using Boolean strings.
- Filter by LinkedIn engagement metrics.
- Save common searches as templates.
- Get suggested results as you type.
However, a Recruiter license is required for full access. This is best suited for recruiters and HR professionals actively sourcing candidates.
Tips for searching profiles
When searching for people specifically, a few extra tips can help:
- Use quotes around full names like “John Smith” to find exact matches.
- Input multiple names separated by OR to widen results.
- Check alternate spellings like Jon vs. John if needed.
- Add related keywords from profile like title, company, skills.
- Search within groups and alumni networks.
Taking the time to craft precise profile searches yields the best results.
Advanced job search tips
Searching for jobs on LinkedIn also benefits from some advanced techniques:
- Title keyword – Software Engineer, HR Manager, etc.
- Seniority level – Entry, Mid-level, Director, etc.
- Company name or industry.
- Location by country, state or city.
- Date posted filter – Past week, month, etc.
- Job type – Full-time, contract, etc.
- Remote options.
Focus on a few key filters relevant to your job search criteria. Checking “Easy Apply” under preferences can also help streamline applications.
Pro tips
Some expert-level tips to take your LinkedIn searching to the next level:
- Identify the right keywords – Research target profiles and job posts to find common themes.
- Start broad, then narrow – Gradually add filters to hone in on relevance.
- Review results – What’s missing? What should be excluded? Refine based on findings.
- Use search syntax – Leverage operators and filters for precise results.
- Personalize connection requests – Mention common ground and why you want to connect.
- Follow up once connected – Ask about industry trends, advice, etc. Build relationships.
- Always optimize and improve – Track what works and doesn’t work to refine approaches.
Conclusion
While LinkedIn’s default search works fine, taking the time to use advanced search filters and syntax pays dividends. You can pinpoint the right people and opportunities much faster when you strategically narrow the parameters. Start experimenting with all the options covered here to see how your search results improve. Consistently refine and expand your searching technique over time. Soon you’ll be a power searcher able to find that perfect new connection, employee or job opening in minutes!
