How to Search for People on LinkedIn: Complete Guide

LinkedIn's search is powerful but underutilized. Whether you're finding prospects, reconnecting with colleagues, or researching companies, these techniques help you find exactly who you're looking for.

After finding people: Use our LinkedIn Connection Message Generator to craft the perfect outreach.

Basic LinkedIn Search

Using the Search Bar

1. Click the search bar at the top of LinkedIn
2. Type a name, company, or keywords
3. Press Enter or click the search icon
4. Filter results by clicking "People" tab

Quick Search Tips

• Full name: "John Smith" finds exact matches
• Partial name: "John S" finds variations
• Company + name: "John Smith Microsoft" narrows results
• Job title: "Marketing Manager" shows people with that title

LinkedIn Search Filters

Available Filters (Free Account)

How to Apply Filters

1. Run your initial search
2. Click "All filters" button
3. Select your criteria
4. Click "Show results"

Filter Combinations That Work

Find decision-makers:

• Title: "VP" OR "Director" OR "Head of"
• Industry: [Your target industry]
• Location: [Your target geography]

Reconnect with former colleagues:

• Past company: [Previous employer]
• Location: [Current area]

Find alumni:

• School: [Your university]
• Location: [Target city]
• Industry: [Your field]

Boolean Search on LinkedIn

Boolean Operators

Boolean Search Examples

Find senior marketers:

"marketing director" OR "VP marketing" OR "CMO"

Find developers, not junior:

(developer OR engineer) NOT (junior OR intern OR entry)

Find specific role at multiple companies:

"product manager" AND (Google OR Meta OR Apple)

Find startup founders:

(founder OR co-founder) AND (startup OR "series A")

Boolean Limitations

• Free LinkedIn has limited boolean support
• Long queries may not work
• Sales Navigator offers fuller boolean functionality
• Test your queries to confirm results

Advanced Search Techniques

Search by Current Company

Find employees at specific organizations:

1. Go to company page
2. Click "People" tab
3. See all employees
4. Use filters to narrow down

Search Using LinkedIn URLs

Construct search URLs directly:

https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/people/?keywords=marketing%20manager&network=%5B%22F%22%5D&origin=FACETED_SEARCH

URL parameters:

• keywords= : Search terms
• network= : Connection degree
• geoUrn= : Location codes

Search Within Connections

Find people you're already connected with:

1. Go to My Network
2. Click "Connections"
3. Use the search bar to filter
4. Sort by recently added

Search by Activity

Find people who post about specific topics:

1. Search for keywords in posts
2. Click "Posts" in results
3. View who's posting about your topic
4. Connect with active professionals

Search Strategies by Goal

For Sales Prospecting

Step 1: Define your ICP

• Industry
• Company size
• Job titles
• Geography

Step 2: Build your search

• Use job title filters
• Filter by industry
• Set location parameters
• Use 2nd-degree connections for warm outreach

Step 3: Save and track

• Save searches in Sales Navigator (paid)
• Export to CRM
• Track outreach results

For Job Searching

Find hiring managers:

1. Search for job title + "hiring" in posts
2. Look for recruiters at target companies
3. Find the manager of the role you want
4. Connect before applying

Research interviewers:

1. Search their name before interviews
2. Look at their background and posts
3. Find common connections
4. Prepare personalized questions

For Networking

Find industry peers:

1. Search your job title
2. Filter by your location or industry
3. Look for active posters
4. Engage with their content first

Find mentors:

1. Search for senior titles in your field
2. Look for people who post educational content
3. Find common connections for introductions
4. Send personalized connection requests

For Recruiting

Source candidates:

1. Search for required skills
2. Filter by current company type
3. Look for relevant experience
4. Check for recent activity (active users)

Boolean search for recruiting:

(python OR java) AND "machine learning" AND (senior OR lead)

Search Without Signing In

What You Can See

• Public profiles (limited view)
• Name and headline
• Current company (sometimes)
• Location (sometimes)

Limitations

• No filters available
• Limited profile information
• Can't see connections
• Can't see posts or activity

When to Search Logged Out

• Check if your profile is public
• Basic research before signing in
• Competitive research (they won't see you viewed)

LinkedIn Sales Navigator Search

Additional Filters

• Years in current position
• Years at current company
• Function (detailed)
• Seniority level
• Company headcount
• Company revenue
• Technology used

Lead Builder

Create detailed lead lists:

1. Combine multiple criteria
2. Save searches for alerts
3. Track lead activity
4. Integrate with CRM

Account Search

Search for companies, then find people:

1. Define target account criteria
2. Save account lists
3. Find decision-makers within accounts
4. Track account news and changes

Search Privacy and Limits

Who Sees Your Searches?

• People see you viewed their profile
• Private mode available (limited features)
• Searches themselves aren't visible
• Connection requests show you searched

Private Mode Options

Full profile: They see you viewed them Private mode: They see "Someone" viewed them Fully private: They don't know (you can't see who viewed you)

Search Limits

• Free accounts have monthly search limits
• Premium extends these limits
• Heavy searching may trigger warnings
• Use saved searches to reduce queries

Common Search Mistakes

Mistakes to Avoid

• Too broad searches: "Manager" returns millions
• Misspellings: LinkedIn doesn't autocorrect
• Ignoring filters: Use all available filters
• Not using quotes: For exact phrases
• Forgetting boolean: AND/OR can narrow results

Better Search Practices

• Start specific, then broaden
• Use multiple filter combinations
• Save effective searches
• Regularly update saved searches

Search Results Optimization

Understanding Result Order

LinkedIn ranks results by:

1. Connection degree
2. Shared connections
3. Profile completeness
4. Activity level
5. Relevance to search terms

Improve Your Own Searchability

Make it easy for others to find you:

• Use relevant keywords in headline
• Complete your profile fully
• List specific skills
• Include past companies and schools
• Stay active on the platform

Tools and Resources

Free Tools

• LinkedIn Outreach Message Generator
• LinkedIn Content Ideas Generator
• LinkedIn Headline Generator

Official LinkedIn Resources

• LinkedIn: Use Boolean Search - Official Boolean search documentation
• LinkedIn: Boolean Modifiers for Job Searches - Official job search guide
• Sales Navigator Boolean Search - For Sales Navigator users

Related Guides

• How to Build Network on LinkedIn
• LinkedIn Connection Message Templates
• LinkedIn Connection Limits Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find someone on LinkedIn without knowing their full name?

Use filters like company, school, location, and job title. Search for partial names with these filters. You can also check mutual connections' connection lists, or search within company employee pages.

Why can't I find someone on LinkedIn?

They may have: privacy settings blocking searches, an incomplete profile, a different name (maiden name, nickname), or no LinkedIn account. Try variations of their name and different filter combinations.

Can people see when I search for them?

Searching doesn't notify people. However, if you view their profile, they'll see that unless you use private mode. Private mode limits some of your own features.

How many searches can I do on LinkedIn free?

LinkedIn doesn't publish exact limits, but heavy searching on free accounts may result in "commercial use" warnings. Premium and Sales Navigator have higher limits. Spread searches over time if you hit limits.

What's the difference between search and Sales Navigator search?

Sales Navigator offers more filters (company size, revenue, technology), saved lead lists, lead alerts, and CRM integration. It's designed for sales professionals doing high-volume prospecting.

Start Finding the Right People on LinkedIn

Ready to connect with the people you've found? Use our LinkedIn Connection Message Generator to craft personalized outreach, or try SocialRails to manage your LinkedIn networking at scale.