LinkedIn Premium - searching for the right candidate!

Initial recruitment steps in a fast-growing IT industry can be really challenging. The range of technologies and activities that developers use is really wide, and every day we have additional frameworks or language that show up and promise to put PHP out of use and charm developers, at least temporarily. Our job, as IT recruiters, is to recognize, approach and show interest in a certain profile of the candidate (often in a short time). It is important that we know what the company needs in the first place and that we base our search on that. What makes this process a lot easier is a large number of widely available tools. This time our focus will be on the LinkedIn Premium feature of Smart Search.

Why Premium profile?

Although it increases the initial cost of the recruitment process, it is really helpful to overcome many challenges that this process has. Advanced search and suggestions supported by artificial intelligence are very useful. There is a possibility for the direct contact of candidates without the need for connection and if a larger team uses paid services there is a possibility of organizing and tracking candidates in one place. This way, paid services to facilitate coordination and efficiency.

Advanced search advantages  

As with regular search, we use Boolean syntax during the advanced search because it makes it easier to search and target specific profiles. Quotation marks, parentheses, NOT, AND, and OR operators still have significant application.

For example, we will start with the maximum qualifications for the position itself, and use the NOT operator for systematic filtering and finally finish with the minimum qualification. Eg: A,B,C - desired qualification      D,E - must have the qualification and finally      F - implicitly desired qualification.

Beside Boolean, what else can be used?

Filters are something that a regular LinkedIn account doesn’t allow, at least not to the extent that is available within a Recruiter account. Filters are very useful in narrowing the criteria because we can target specific experience, skills, companies, schools/institutions, years of experience….

Example

We received a request for a new React position. It is stated that knowledge of JavaScript, React, Redux and MaterialUI is mandatory. It is desirable that the candidate knows and understands the Java language (because the Backend project was written in Java), and we want to target candidates from the Serbian market. Since the position is directed towards the medior level, we don’t want to go too much wide in our search, but to determine the years of experience in the industry. In that case, our filters will look something like this:

Advantages of LinkedIn Premium

LinkedIn Premium enables:

• Better and more relevant search results
• Creating a database of candidates for certain positions
• InMail contacts
• No limits for the searched number of profiles

When not to use a Premium profile?

If it is available to you, there is no reason why not to use its filters and all other advantages. However, it is a totally independent question whether the scope and specificity of the position you aim to fill justify investing in Premium features.These are just examples of the possibilities offered by Boolean and Premium filters. We encourage you to experiment, add, subtract and modify search parameters. The result will be closer to what you need if you can define what you are looking for. Happy hunting! Igor S & Igor S