The LinkedIn search tool serves as your compass, guiding you toward targeted potential connections and opportunities. To unlock the full potential of this tool, it’s crucial to comprehend and master its filters. These filters are the secret sauce that allows you to refine your searches, ensuring you connect with the right professionals and tap into opportunities that align with your goals. In this article, we’ll demystify the filters of the LinkedIn search tool, providing actionable advice to enhance your search experience.
Before we get into the individual filters, the search tool is accessed at the top of your screen and the first thing to realise is that the starting search is a wild card search – so you can look for specific names, companies, events or whatever else you want. One powerful aspect is to use this initial search for a ‘keyword’. For instance, if you want to target ‘Operations Directors’ in ‘Engineering’ related businesses – no problem! Start with a search for ‘Engineering’ and then refine your search for ‘People’ and ‘2nd Degree Connections’ and finally for the ‘Job Title’ you’re looking to isolate – it really is that powerful.
Location Filter: Pinpointing Your Networking Radius
The ‘Location’ filter is a game-changer, especially if you’re looking to connect with professionals in a specific geographic region or city. Whether you’re seeking local collaborations or exploring opportunities in a new location, this filter allows you to tailor your searches geographically. Specifically to the UK, LinkedIn does NOT ‘understand’ what Counties are; as such, if you want to target a County, then you will need to use all the towns that LinkedIn ‘does’ recognise from within that County!
Actionable Tip: Use the ‘Location’ filter strategically by selecting your desired location or expanding your search to nearby areas. This ensures that your network extends to regions relevant to your professional objectives.
Connections Filter: Navigating Degrees of Separation
The ‘Connections’ filter is your key to navigating the degrees of separation within the LinkedIn network. You can filter your search results based on your existing connections – whether they’re first, second, or third-degree connections. This is particularly useful for expanding your network through mutual connections (i.e. by selecting 2nd Degree Connections as the search filter).
Actionable Tip: Experiment with the ‘Connections’ filter to uncover potential second-degree connections. These individuals share a mutual connection with you, making it easier to establish rapport and extend your network.
Industry Filter: Tailoring Your Network to Your Field
The ‘Industry’ filter is a powerful tool for professionals looking to connect with others in the same field or explore opportunities in specific industries. Whether you’re seeking industry-specific insights, collaborations, or job opportunities, this filter helps you hone in on professionals with shared interests. However, note that LinkedIn does not follow SIC codes (???) and instead uses its own list of ‘Industries’ that sometimes might not give you what you’re looking for.
Actionable Tip: Experiment to see if you should use the Industry filter or, instead, use the keyword search to bring relevant results your way.
Company Filter: Navigating Corporate Landscapes
The ‘Company’ filter allows you to zero in on professionals working at a particular company. Whether you’re interested in networking with employees of a specific organisation or researching potential employers, this filter streamlines your search to professionals associated with a designated company.
Actionable Tip: Use the ‘Company’ filter to research companies of interest, and then explore connections within those companies.
Job Title Filter: Precision in Professional Roles
The ‘Job Title’ filter is your go-to tool for precision in professional roles. This filter enables you to tailor your search to find profiles that match specific job titles. However, be aware that LinkedIn hides this filter – if you click on ‘all filters’ the job title filter is tucked away in the keywords section at the bottom of the list.
Actionable Tip: Experiment with variations of job titles – for instance, a ‘Managing Director’ might only list ‘Director’, or ‘MD’, or ‘CEO’, or ‘Chief Executive Officer’ as their title – you can search for them all by using a ‘boolean search’ – see our separate advice article.
Conclusion: Mastering LinkedIn Search Filters
Understanding and mastering the filters of the LinkedIn search tool is a game-changer. From pinpointing your networking radius with the ‘Location’ filter to navigating degrees of separation through the ‘Connections’ filter, each filter offers a unique way to tailor your search and connect with professionals relevant to your goals. And, of course, you can use multiple filters altogether to refine the results further.
So, embark on your search journey with confidence, experiment with different filters, and watch as the incredible power of the LinkedIn search tool unfolds. By decoding the filters and incorporating them into your networking strategy, you’ll not only expand your professional connections but also unlock a world of opportunities aligned with your aspirations. Happy networking!