LinkedIn has become the go-to platform for professionals looking to connect, network, and grow their careers. Whether you’re hunting for a job, scouting for top talent, or expanding your professional network, mastering LinkedIn’s search capabilities is essential. In 2025, LinkedIn’s AI search advanced features and algorithm updates have opened up new ways to search more efficiently. Let’s dive into the latest techniques to supercharge your LinkedIn searches.
1. (External) Boolean Search Strings: Refined and Basic
Boolean search still works outside of LinkedIn. Building a string allows you to combine keywords with operators like SITE, AND, OR, NOT, and quotation marks to pinpoint precise results. A quick refresher:
- Quotation Marks (“”): Search for exact phrases, e.g., “software developer”.
- AND: Combines terms, e.g., marketing AND strategy.
- OR: Broadens results, e.g., sales OR business development.
- NOT – : Excludes terms, e.g., designer NOT graphic.
New in 2025: LinkedIn now supports wildcard searches using the asterisk (). For instance, searching for “market” will return results like marketing, market analysis, or marketer.
2. Leveraging LinkedIn AI and Search Filters
The platform’s updated filters offer even more granularity:
- Location-Specific Searches: Narrow your search to remote or hybrid roles using the updated “Workplace” filter.
- Industry Insights: The revamped “Industry” filter allows for multi-industry selection in one go.
- Connection Level: Quickly target first-, second-, or third-degree connections based on your goals.
Utilizing AI within LinkedIn recruiter
The open-text prompt box on your homepage now allows you to specify your needs in natural language. For example, you can type: “I’m looking for an animator in Seattle who has worked in the entertainment industry.” The AI processes inputs like job title, location, and industry to kickstart your search or project creation.
You can provide as much detail as you want about the talent you’re seeking. In addition to descriptors like title, location, company size, and industry, you can include criteria such as:
- Open to work
- Interested in your company
- Company connections (candidates who know people at your company)
- Skills and assessments
- Current employers
- Schools attended
Prefer running a Boolean search? No problem! Simply enter your Boolean string into the prompt box. You’ll see the option to conduct a Boolean search and proceed as usual.
Quickly Set Up Your Project
Enter your prompt and select “Create a Project.” The platform will prepopulate fields based on your input, enabling an intuitive and streamlined setup. You can refine the project further by adding or editing fields manually or via the chat interface.
Throughout this process, the AI will recommend enhancements—such as additional skills or locations—to broaden or narrow your talent pool as needed.
Refine Your Search with Precision
Your initial search provides a foundation, but the AI’s flexibility allows for continuous refinement.
- Expand your search geographically (e.g., from Seattle to the entire West Coast) without listing all regions manually.
- Filter by specific schools, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
- Use the expanded filters box to manually adjust, add, or remove filters.
Get Tailored Suggestions to Find the Best Talent
Leverage LinkedIn’s AI-powered insights to identify filters you might have overlooked, such as top titles, companies, skills, or locations. These recommendations can help uncover new talent pools and refine your search for the most qualified candidates.
For instance, using the “top locations” filter may reveal candidates at companies where you’ve successfully sourced talent for similar roles in the past.
Discover Similar Candidates Effortlessly
When you find a candidate who’s almost perfect but not ready to make a move, the AI can help locate similar profiles. Simply type, “Find me someone similar to @(their name),” and select the model candidate from the dropdown list. This feature streamlines the process of finding candidates with comparable qualifications.
Overall, thoughts on LinkedIn AI search tool:
PRO: It simple to utilize and use straight forward
CON: Lacking advanced search depth and the functionality is just not there. For more advance search I found myself going back to a manually search. Doing a similar search external gave me better results as well.
3. Harness the Power of Hashtags
Hashtags aren’t just for social media posts anymore. LinkedIn’s algorithm now prioritizes trending hashtags in professional fields. By searching for hashtags like #UXDesign, #RemoteWork, or #DataScience, you can uncover relevant posts, discussions, and potential job openings.
4. Content Search for Thought Leadership
One of the most underutilized features is the ability to search within LinkedIn posts and articles. This can be a goldmine for finding thought leaders, company updates, or industry-specific advice.
- Use keywords combined with hashtags in the search bar.
- Filter results by “Posts” to find recent and engaging content.
5. Company-Specific Search Techniques
If you’re targeting a specific company:
- Use the “People” tab on a company’s LinkedIn page to identify employees by department or location.
- Check the “Jobs” tab for open positions.
- Follow the company to stay updated on posts and announcements.
6. LinkedIn Recruiter Lite Hacks
For recruiters or users with premium accounts, LinkedIn Recruiter Lite offers advanced filters like years of experience, company size, and academic qualifications. Combine these with Boolean strings for unparalleled precision.
7. Save and Automate Searches
To stay ahead, save your most effective searches and set up alerts. This ensures you’re notified about new connections, job postings, or content matching your criteria.
8. Engage Strategically
Search is only the first step. Once you’ve found relevant profiles or content, take action:
- Personalize your connection requests.
- Engage with posts through thoughtful comments.
- Send InMails (for premium users) tailored to the recipient’s background.
Final Thoughts:
As LinkedIn continues to evolve, staying updated on its search capabilities is crucial. By leveraging these new techniques, you can uncover hidden opportunities, forge meaningful connections, and achieve your professional goals more efficiently. Start experimenting with these strategies today and watch your LinkedIn game soar!
Recommended Reading:
Becoming an Effective Recruiting Leader: Tips for Managing a Team
Top 10+ AI Recruiting Software Tools to Transform Hiring in 2025
Talent Sourcing in 2025: Predictions for a Dynamic Workforce
- Talent Mapping and Talent Intelligence in the Age of AI: A Game-Changer for Recruiters - January 8, 2025
- Mastering LinkedIn’s AI Search Updates - January 7, 2025
- Recruiting: Boolean Strings in the Age of AI-Driven Prompts - January 6, 2025