Yes, you can look up someone on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows you to find and connect with professionals in your industry. When you search for someone on LinkedIn, you can view their public profile information to learn more about their work experience, education, skills, and connections.
How to Look Up Someone’s Profile on LinkedIn
There are a few different ways you can search for and view someone’s LinkedIn profile:
Search by Name
The easiest way to find someone on LinkedIn is to search for them by name. Simply go to www.linkedin.com and type the person’s full name into the search bar at the top of the page. Make sure to use their full name, including first and last, for the most accurate results.
LinkedIn will display a list of people matching that name. Look for identifying details like location, company, job title, school, and profile photo to find the specific person you’re searching for. Click on their name to view their public profile.
Advanced Search
If searching by name doesn’t bring up the profile you’re looking for, you can use LinkedIn’s advanced search to narrow your criteria.
Go to www.linkedin.com/search/results/people/ and select the “Advanced” link next to the search bar. Here you can enter details like location, company, job title, school, skills, and more to refine your search.
This is helpful if you’re searching for someone with a common name or you want to locate a connection within a specific company or industry.
Search Your Connections
If you already have a LinkedIn account, the easiest way to find someone may be to search your own network of connections. Go to the “My Network” tab and enter the person’s name in the search bar.
This will show results of people in your network who match that name. If the person you’re looking for is a 2nd or 3rd degree connection, you can ask for an introduction from one of your mutual connections.
Company Search
You can also search for someone by entering the name of a company they work or worked for. Go to the main LinkedIn search bar and type in the company name.
Click on the company page result. Then scroll down to the “People who work here” section. This will display current employees of that company with public profiles. You may find the person you’re searching for in that list.
What You Can See on Someone’s Public Profile
When you look up someone on LinkedIn, what you can view on their profile depends on that user’s privacy settings. Parts of a profile may be visible only to direct connections. But in general, these are the types of information you may be able to see and view on a public profile:
– Profile photo
– Name
– Location
– Industry
– Job title and company
– Experience – Past and current jobs/positions
– Education – Degrees, certifications, schools
– Skills and endorsements
– Volunteer experience
– Organizations they’re part of or follow
– Interests
– Accomplishments
– Recommendations
– Connections in common
You’ll have access to more profile details if you’re directly connected with that person on LinkedIn. But focusing on the sections above can give you a good overview from their public profile.
Can You View Someone’s Profile Anonymously?
No, you cannot anonymously view a full LinkedIn profile. To see more than just someone’s name, photo, and minimal details, you must have a LinkedIn account yourself.
When members view someone’s full profile, the other user can see who viewed their profile and when. The viewer’s name and profile photo appear in the “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” section.
There are a couple exceptions:
– LinkedIn members can choose to turn off profile viewing notifications in their account settings. In this case, their profile views remain anonymous.
– When you view someone’s public profile who you are not connected to, your name won’t display at first. But if you begin viewing that profile regularly, your name may eventually appear.
So in general, assume that the person will be notified when you view their LinkedIn profile. The only way to remain completely anonymous is to not have a LinkedIn account.
Pro Tips for Searching LinkedIn
Here are some additional tips for searching for people efficiently on LinkedIn:
Use Quotes for Names
If you’re searching for someone with a common name, put their full name in quotes like “John Smith” to show those words together. This gives more accurate name match results.
Check Different Locations
A profile may show up in a location search for their current city, or past cities where they lived and worked. Try searching multiple locations to find the right person.
Search by School
Use the school name from their education history if you know where they went to college or business school. Many people include this info even long after graduation.
Filter by Company Size
In advanced search, you can filter by the size of the company someone worked for (based on number of employees). This is helpful if you know they worked at large or small firms.
Look for Common Connections
When viewing search results, look for 2nd and 3rd degree connections shown. You may be able to ask a mutual connection to introduce you.
Check for Variations
Try alternate spellings or versions of their name in case the profile uses a nickname or shortened name. You can also search by email address which is less variable.
Browse Their Connections
From their profile, click on their connections to open up additional options for searching within their network. New name possibilities may emerge this way.
Should You Connect with Someone You Found?
If you discover someone’s profile through searching LinkedIn, don’t immediately try to connect with them, especially if you don’t know them. Blind connection requests are often ignored or declined.
Instead, mention how you found them through LinkedIn search and give a specific reason for wanting to connect based on shared connections, interests, or professional objectives. Personalize your request so they understand who you are and why you want to connect.
Take some time to strengthen your own profile first before reaching out. The more complete your profile, the more receptive people may be to connecting with you on LinkedIn.
Concerns About Looking Someone Up
Some people may feel uncomfortable about the idea of others searching for them and looking at their profile on LinkedIn without consent. Here are some concerns to keep in mind:
– Privacy – Having your professional and personal information visible to strangers can feel invasive. Set your profile to minimize public visibility.
– Stalking – Repeated profile views from someone you don’t know can feel threatening. Report any harassment to LinkedIn.
– Reputation – Information taken out of context could harm your professional image. Curate your profile carefully.
– Misuse of information – Details like your job history or education could be used by scammers to steal your identity. Limit what you share publicly.
– Discrimination – Biased people could make unfair judgments about you based on details in your profile. This is illegal.
– Unwanted communication – Getting connection requests or messages from strangers can be annoying. Use LinkedIn settings to control notifications.
Keep in mind you have a lot of control over your own privacy and account settings on LinkedIn. Adjust these to limit visibility and engagement as needed to feel comfortable.
Conclusion
LinkedIn provides a simple way to find and learn about professionals in your industry. By searching for someone’s name and viewing their public profile, you can get useful business insights and discover productive connections. However, be mindful of their privacy. Only connect with a purpose and don’t assume anonymous browsing. With considered use, LinkedIn search can provide valuable relationship-building opportunities.