LinkedIn Boolean Search Cheat Sheet 2026: Complete Guide

LinkedIn Boolean search uses logical operators (AND, OR, NOT) to create precise search queries that filter results beyond standard search capabilities. By combining operators with quotation marks and parentheses, you can find exact prospects that basic LinkedIn search misses. This cheat sheet covers every operator, real-world examples, and advanced techniques for both free LinkedIn and Sales Navigator searches.

Key Takeaways

• Boolean search uses AND, OR, NOT operators to create precise, filtered searches
• Quotation marks find exact phrases like "Vice President of Sales"
• Parentheses group complex queries for multi-condition searches
• Works in both free LinkedIn and Sales Navigator (with more fields in Navigator)
• Our free X-Ray Search Tool generates Boolean queries automatically

Quick Reference: Boolean Operators

Operator	Function	Example	Result
AND	Both terms required	marketing AND director	Must have both words
OR	Either term works	CEO OR founder	Has CEO or founder (or both)
NOT	Excludes term	manager NOT assistant	Manager but not assistant
" "	Exact phrase	"product manager"	Exact phrase only
( )	Groups terms	(CEO OR founder) AND SaaS	Groups logic together

Boolean Operator Deep Dive

AND Operator

Purpose: Requires ALL specified terms to appear in results.

Syntax: term1 AND term2

Examples:

marketing AND manager
→ Returns profiles with BOTH "marketing" and "manager"

sales AND "B2B" AND SaaS
→ Must contain sales, B2B, AND SaaS

LinkedIn AND automation AND consultant
→ All three terms required

Pro tip: AND is often implied in LinkedIn search. marketing manager usually behaves like marketing AND manager, but explicitly using AND ensures precision.

OR Operator

Purpose: Returns results containing ANY of the specified terms.

Syntax: term1 OR term2

Examples:

CEO OR founder OR owner
→ Returns any executive-level title

"Vice President" OR VP OR "V.P."
→ Catches all VP title variations

marketing OR growth OR demand
→ Broad marketing role search

Pro tip: Use OR to catch title variations, abbreviations, and synonyms. Different companies use different terminology for similar roles.

NOT Operator

Purpose: Excludes results containing the specified term.

Syntax: term1 NOT term2

Examples:

manager NOT assistant
→ Managers only, no assistant managers

recruiter NOT agency
→ In-house recruiters, excludes agency recruiters

developer NOT junior NOT intern
→ Experienced developers only

Pro tip: NOT is powerful for filtering out unwanted results. Use it to exclude junior roles, specific industries, or competitor companies.

Quotation Marks (Exact Phrase)

Purpose: Finds exact phrase matches only.

Syntax: "exact phrase here"

Examples:

"Vice President of Marketing"
→ Exact title match only

"Head of Growth"
→ Won't return "Growth Head" or "Head, Growth"

"B2B SaaS"
→ Exact phrase, not B2B and SaaS separately

Pro tip: Always use quotes for multi-word job titles to avoid false matches.

Parentheses (Grouping)

Purpose: Groups terms together for complex logic.

Syntax: (term1 OR term2) AND term3

Examples:

(CEO OR founder OR "Managing Director") AND SaaS
→ Any C-level at SaaS companies

(marketing OR growth) AND (director OR head OR VP)
→ Senior marketing roles with any title variation

("product manager" OR "product owner") AND (fintech OR "financial services")
→ Product roles in finance

Pro tip: Parentheses control the order of operations. Without them, LinkedIn may interpret your query differently than intended.

Real-World Boolean Search Templates

Finding Decision Makers

C-Suite at Tech Companies:

(CEO OR "Chief Executive" OR founder OR "co-founder") AND (SaaS OR software OR "tech startup")

VP-Level Marketing:

("Vice President" OR VP OR "V.P.") AND (marketing OR growth OR "demand generation") NOT agency

Directors at Enterprise Companies:

director AND (sales OR "business development") AND (enterprise OR Fortune) NOT recruiter

Industry-Specific Searches

Healthcare Decision Makers:

(CEO OR CFO OR COO OR "Chief Medical Officer") AND (healthcare OR hospital OR "health system") NOT recruiter

Fintech Leaders:

("Head of" OR director OR VP) AND (product OR engineering) AND (fintech OR "financial technology" OR neobank)

E-commerce/Retail:

(director OR VP OR "Head of") AND (ecommerce OR "e-commerce" OR DTC OR "direct to consumer") AND (marketing OR growth)

Role-Specific Searches

Sales Leaders:

("VP Sales" OR "Vice President Sales" OR "Head of Sales" OR "Chief Revenue Officer" OR CRO) AND B2B NOT recruiter

Product Managers:

("product manager" OR "product owner" OR "Head of Product" OR "VP Product") AND (SaaS OR software) NOT junior NOT associate

Engineering Leaders:

("VP Engineering" OR "Head of Engineering" OR "Engineering Director" OR CTO) AND (startup OR "Series A" OR "Series B")

Boolean Search by Platform

Free LinkedIn Search

Available fields:

• Keywords (general search box)
• Title
• Company
• Location

Limitations:

• Fewer filter combinations
• Results may be limited
• No saved searches

Example in free LinkedIn:

"Head of Marketing" AND SaaS
(filter by location: San Francisco Bay Area)

Sales Navigator

Additional fields:

• Seniority level
• Company size
• Years in role
• Years at company
• Function
• Industry (more granular)

Advanced example:

(VP OR director OR "Head of") AND (marketing OR growth)
+ Seniority: Director, VP
+ Company size: 51-200, 201-500
+ Industry: Computer Software
+ Geography: United States

X-Ray Search (Google)

Purpose: Search LinkedIn profiles using Google's more powerful search engine.

Syntax:

site:linkedin.com/in/ "job title" "company" "location"

Example:

site:linkedin.com/in/ "VP Marketing" "SaaS" "San Francisco"

Pro tip: Use our free LinkedIn X-Ray Search Tool to generate these queries automatically.

Advanced Boolean Techniques

Technique 1: Title Variation Stacking

Different companies use different titles for similar roles. Stack variations:

("Chief Marketing Officer" OR CMO OR "VP Marketing" OR "Vice President Marketing" OR "Head of Marketing" OR "Marketing Director" OR "Director of Marketing")

Technique 2: Seniority Indicators

Find senior people without relying on title filters:

(CEO OR founder OR "C-level" OR chief OR VP OR "Vice President" OR director OR head OR principal OR senior OR lead)

Technique 3: Company Stage Indicators

Target startups or enterprises:

Startups:

(startup OR "Series A" OR "Series B" OR "seed funded" OR "early stage" OR "pre-seed")

Enterprise:

(Fortune OR "Fortune 500" OR enterprise OR global OR multinational OR "10000+ employees")

Technique 4: Exclusion Stacking

Remove multiple unwanted results:

marketing AND director NOT agency NOT freelance NOT consultant NOT recruiter NOT "looking for" NOT hiring

Technique 5: Combining Everything

Full complex query example:

(("VP Marketing" OR "Vice President Marketing" OR "Head of Marketing" OR CMO) AND (SaaS OR "B2B software" OR "enterprise software")) NOT (agency OR freelance OR consultant OR recruiter) AND (startup OR "Series A" OR "Series B" OR "venture backed")

Common Boolean Search Mistakes

Mistake 1: Not Using Quotes for Phrases

❌ Vice President Marketing (searches each word separately) ✅ "Vice President Marketing" (searches exact phrase)

Mistake 2: Forgetting Parentheses

❌ CEO OR founder AND SaaS (ambiguous logic) ✅ (CEO OR founder) AND SaaS (clear grouping)

Mistake 3: Over-Filtering

❌ Adding too many NOT exclusions that eliminate good prospects ✅ Start broad, then narrow based on results

Mistake 4: Ignoring Title Variations

❌ Searching only "VP of Marketing" ✅ Including VP, Vice President, V.P., Vice-President variations

Mistake 5: Case Sensitivity Assumption

LinkedIn Boolean is NOT case-sensitive. CEO = ceo = Ceo

Boolean Search Workflow

Step 1: Define Your ICP

Before building queries:

• What titles do your buyers hold?
• What company sizes do you target?
• What industries are relevant?
• What should be excluded?

Step 2: Build Your Base Query

Start with core requirements:

("target title" OR "title variation") AND "industry"

Step 3: Add Refinements

Layer in additional criteria:

[base query] AND (company size indicators) NOT (exclusions)

Step 4: Test and Iterate

• Run the search
• Review first 20-30 results
• Adjust based on relevance
• Save successful queries

Step 5: Use Results Strategically

Don't just collect leads—engage strategically:

• Use ConnectSafely.ai for engagement-based outreach
• Comment on their content first
• Build recognition before connecting

Free Tools for Boolean Search

ConnectSafely.ai X-Ray Search Tool

Our free LinkedIn X-Ray Search Tool generates Boolean queries automatically:

• Enter your criteria in plain language
• Get optimized Boolean query
• Copy directly to LinkedIn or Google
• No signup required

Sales Navigator Filters Generator

Use our Sales Navigator Filters Generator to:

• Build complex filter combinations
• Export search criteria
• Optimize for your ICP

Boolean Search + Inbound Strategy

Boolean search finds prospects—but how you engage determines results.

Cold approach (1.7% close rate):

1. Run Boolean search
2. Send connection request
3. Pitch immediately

Inbound approach (14.6% close rate):

1. Run Boolean search to identify ICP
2. Find content they engage with
3. Use ConnectSafely.ai to comment strategically
4. Build recognition before connecting
5. Let them come to you

The same Boolean search produces 8.6X better results with inbound methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is LinkedIn Boolean search?

LinkedIn Boolean search uses logical operators (AND, OR, NOT) with quotation marks and parentheses to create precise search queries. Instead of simple keyword searches, Boolean lets you combine multiple criteria, require exact phrases, and exclude unwanted results. It works in both free LinkedIn and Sales Navigator, helping you find exact prospects that basic search misses.

How do I use Boolean search on LinkedIn for free?

Use Boolean operators directly in LinkedIn's search bar: AND (requires both terms), OR (either term), NOT (excludes term), "quotes" (exact phrase), parentheses (grouping). Example: ("VP Marketing" OR "Head of Marketing") AND SaaS NOT agency. For more power, use Google X-Ray search: site:linkedin.com/in/ "your search terms". Our free X-Ray Search Tool generates these queries automatically.

Does LinkedIn Boolean search work in 2026?

Yes, LinkedIn Boolean search works in 2026 in both free LinkedIn and Sales Navigator. The operators AND, OR, NOT, quotation marks, and parentheses all function as documented. However, LinkedIn occasionally updates how searches work, so always test your queries. Sales Navigator provides more fields for Boolean filtering than free LinkedIn search.

What are the best LinkedIn Boolean search examples?

Best Boolean search examples combine title variations with industry filters: (CEO OR founder OR "Managing Director") AND (SaaS OR "B2B software") NOT recruiter for executives, or ("VP Marketing" OR "Head of Marketing" OR CMO) AND (startup OR "Series A") for marketing leaders at startups. Always include title variations and relevant exclusions for best results.

How do I find decision makers on LinkedIn using Boolean search?

Find decision makers by combining seniority indicators with industry terms: (CEO OR CFO OR COO OR "Vice President" OR VP OR director OR "Head of") AND "your target industry" NOT (recruiter OR agency OR consultant). Add company size indicators like (startup OR enterprise OR "Fortune 500") to further refine. Use quotation marks for multi-word titles like "Chief Marketing Officer".

Can I use Boolean search without Sales Navigator?

Yes, Boolean search works in free LinkedIn, though with fewer filter options than Sales Navigator. You can use AND, OR, NOT, quotes, and parentheses in the main search bar. For more power without paying, use Google X-Ray search (site:linkedin.com/in/) which searches LinkedIn profiles through Google. Our free X-Ray Search Tool makes this easy.