LinkedIn people search lets you find professionals by name, job title, company, location, and dozens of other filters. With over 1 billion members on the platform, mastering LinkedIn's search functionality is essential for networking, recruiting, sales prospecting, and business development.

This guide covers everything about LinkedIn people search—from basic filters to advanced Boolean techniques that help you find exactly who you're looking for.

Key Takeaways

Multiple filter options: Search by connection degree, location, company, industry, and more
Boolean operators supported: Use AND, OR, NOT for precise searches
Premium unlocks more filters: Sales Navigator offers 30+ advanced filters
AI-powered search is new: LinkedIn launched AI search in late 2025
Free accounts have limits: Premium removes many search restrictions

Basic LinkedIn People Search

LinkedIn's people search is accessible from the main search bar at the top of any page.

How to Search for People

Click the search bar at the top of LinkedIn
Type a name, title, company, or keyword
Press Enter or click the search icon
Click "People" to filter results to profiles only
Use the filter options to narrow results

Primary Search Filters

According to LinkedIn's search documentation, these filters appear at the top of search results:

Filter	What It Does
Connections	1st, 2nd, 3rd degree, or all LinkedIn members
Locations	Country, region, or city
Current company	People working at specific companies
Past company	People who previously worked somewhere
Industry	Filter by professional sector
Profile language	Language the profile was written in
Open to	People open to work, providing services, etc.

Advanced Search Filters

Click "All filters" at the end of the filter bar to access additional options.

Extended Filter Options

Filter	Available To
School	All users
Service categories	All users
Keywords	All users
First name	All users
Last name	All users
Company type	Premium users
Company size	Premium users
Seniority level	Premium users
Years of experience	Premium users
Function	Premium users

Using the All Filters Panel

Run your initial search
Click "All filters" (rightmost option)
Select your criteria across multiple categories
Click "Show results" to apply

According to Evaboot's LinkedIn search guide, combining multiple filters dramatically improves search precision.

Boolean Search on LinkedIn

Boolean operators let you create complex, precise searches. LinkedIn supports these operators:

AND Operator

Combines terms—results must include all specified words.

Example: marketing AND manager Returns profiles containing both "marketing" and "manager"

OR Operator

Broadens search—results include any of the terms.

Example: CEO OR founder OR owner Returns profiles containing any of these titles

NOT Operator

Excludes terms from results.

Example: developer NOT junior Returns developer profiles excluding those with "junior"

Quotation Marks

Search for exact phrases.

Example: "product manager" Returns only profiles with this exact phrase, not "product" and "manager" separately

Parentheses

Group terms to control logic.

Example: (CEO OR founder) AND (SaaS OR software) Returns CEOs or founders in SaaS or software companies

Boolean Search Examples

Goal	Search String
Find VP-level marketers	`"VP" AND marketing`
Find developers (multiple titles)	`(developer OR engineer OR programmer)`
Find NY salespeople, not recruiters	`sales AND "New York" NOT recruiter`
Find specific company + role	`"Google" AND "product manager"`

AI-Powered People Search (New in 2025)

According to TechCrunch, LinkedIn launched AI-powered people search in late 2025.

How AI Search Works

Instead of Boolean queries, you can now ask natural language questions:

"Find product managers in San Francisco who work at startups"
"Show me marketing directors at Fortune 500 companies"
"People who can help me get a job in UX design"

AI Search Benefits

According to LinkedIn's senior director of product management Rohan Rajiv:

"The new AI-powered people search is designed to be the fastest path to the person who can help you the most."

Users are finding people for:

Job opportunities
Business expansion
Career guidance
Partnership opportunities

Special Search Features

Connections Of Filter

Search within a specific person's network:

Go to their profile
Click on their connections count
Or use the "Connections of" filter in advanced search

This is useful for warm introductions and referrals.

Followers Of Filter

Find followers of specific creators:

Only works for users with Creator Mode enabled
Useful for finding engaged audiences in your niche
Access via "Followers of" in advanced filters

Open To Work Filter

Find job seekers:

Use the "Open to" filter
Select "Open to work"
Combine with other filters for specific roles

This feature helps recruiters find active candidates.

Sales Navigator Search Filters

LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers over 30 advanced filters for lead generation:

Spotlight Filters (Unique to Navigator)

Filter	What It Finds
Changed jobs in past 90 days	New hires, promotions
Posted on LinkedIn in 30 days	Active, engaged users
Mentioned in the news	High-profile individuals
Share experiences with you	Common ground for outreach

Additional Navigator Filters

Company headcount growth
Department size
Technologies used
Annual revenue
Fortune ranking
Recent funding events

Tips for Better Search Results

Use Quotation Marks for Names

Common names return too many results. According to LaGrowthMachine's search guide:

Without quotes: John Smith - Returns anyone with John OR Smith With quotes: "John Smith" - Returns only exact matches

Combine Filters Strategically

Build your search step by step:

Start with basic criteria (title, location)
Add company or industry filters
Apply connection degree if relevant
Use Boolean operators to refine further

Save Frequent Searches

Save search parameters for repeat use:

Configure your search
Click "Save search" (if available)
Name your search
Access from your saved searches

Export and Track Results

For serious prospecting:

Use Sales Navigator for lead lists
Export to CRM (Navigator feature)
Track who you've contacted
Note connection status changes

Search Limitations by Account Type

Feature	Free	Premium Career	Sales Navigator
Basic filters	Yes	Yes	Yes
Boolean search	Yes	Yes	Yes
Advanced filters	Limited	More options	Full access
Search result limits	~100/month	Higher limits	Unlimited
Spotlight filters	No	No	Yes
Lead lists	No	No	Yes
CRM integration	No	No	Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I search for people on LinkedIn?

Use the search bar at the top of LinkedIn and type a name, title, company, or keyword. Press Enter, then click "People" to filter results to profiles only. Use the filter options (Connections, Locations, Current Company, etc.) to narrow your search results.

Can I search LinkedIn without an account?

Limited public profile information is visible through Google, but full LinkedIn people search requires a LinkedIn account. Create a free account to access search functionality. Premium accounts unlock additional filters and remove search limits.

Why can't I find someone on LinkedIn search?

Common reasons: They may have privacy settings limiting visibility, their profile may be incomplete or not indexed, you may be using the wrong name spelling, or search limits may be reached on free accounts. Try different name variations or wait 24 hours if you've hit search limits.

How many LinkedIn searches can I do for free?

Free LinkedIn accounts have a commercial use limit that restricts heavy searching—typically around 100-300 profile views per month, though LinkedIn doesn't publish exact numbers. Premium accounts have significantly higher or unlimited search limits.

What is LinkedIn Boolean search?

Boolean search uses operators (AND, OR, NOT) to create precise queries. For example, "product manager" AND SaaS NOT "entry level" finds product managers in SaaS excluding entry-level positions. LinkedIn supports Boolean operators in its search bar for more targeted results.

Looking to attract leads instead of searching for them? Discover how ConnectSafely helps you build LinkedIn authority that brings qualified prospects to you.