The Official Freesourcing.org Blog

Whether you’re looking for a new job, a new hire, sales leads, or connections into a new industry or company – you can accomplish it through LinkedIn’s Advanced People Search. But, the access LinkedIn provides isn’t the mind-blowing reason this search feature ranks as one of the web’s most powerful people searches – it is the “how” you get this access that makes it so valuable. Let me explain…

LinkedIn works around relationships – and no surprise, their People Search also works around relationships. When you’re looking for an “in” into a company, you’re able to do so through your existing relationships or through your alumni groups. Let me show you…

Let’s say I work for a small consulting group, and I’ve just been tasked with producing 5 qualified leads. I go to LinkedIn’s Advanced People Search and this is what I do:

I attended two small private universities, so I think I’ll first want to leverage my Alumni networks.
Step 1) Go to the Advanced People Search
Step 2) Look for current titles only, and use Boolean Logic to locate decision makers. My search criteria for current titles is “Owner OR CEO OR President OR Vice President”
Step 3) Check my University Alumni Groups (which are actually very small groups on LinkedIn)

Here is what that search screen looks like:

And here are just a handful of leads I’ve just uncovered in my small Alumni Networks:

Since that example may seem a little specific or biased, I am going to display one more search. This time, I am going to leverage all of my relationships on LinkedIn and all of my group memberships, still looking for decision makers (VP’s, Owner, etc.). This search can be refined down to specific regions, industries, and so on at any time.

Here is a snapshot of the access to decision makers I have on LinkedIn:

This screen shows that my network gives me access to over 1 Million LinkedIn members – that access could be to directly message them (if we share a common group) or to request an introduction to them – through one of our mutual connections. In any case – no one in those search results is a complete stranger, we share something in common, whether it’s something very strong like a great mutual friend or same Alma Matter, or something weaker like – we both run marathons. In any case, my company and I now have the option to work through my network to expand our business, for free.