LinkedIn X-ray search for recruiters: find profiles with Google
A free way to search public LinkedIn profiles using Google. The formula, the operators that matter, and five searches you can copy and adapt.
What X-ray search is
An X-ray search is a Google search limited to one website. You ask Google to look only inside the public profile pages of LinkedIn, and to match the words that appear in them: role, skills, city. It is useful when the search inside LinkedIn is limited, or when you want to search by combinations of skills that the filters do not offer.
Keep in mind what it can and cannot do. Google only shows public pages it has already indexed, so you will see a part of the profiles, not all of them. It is a way to find names, not a complete database.
The basic formula
site:linkedin.com/in ("data engineer" OR "data developer") (Python AND SQL) Milan
Read it as: public LinkedIn profiles, with one of these two role titles, with both skills, mentioning Milan.
The operators you need
| Operator | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
site: | Limits the search to one site or folder | site:linkedin.com/in |
"quotes" | Exact phrase | "project manager" |
OR | One word or the other | "developer" OR "engineer" |
AND or space | Both words must appear | Python SQL |
( ) | Groups alternatives | (Python OR Java) |
- | Excludes a word | -student -intern |
intitle: | Word must be in the page title | intitle:"sales manager" |
Five searches to copy
Replace the roles, skills and cities with your own. These are examples with made-up combinations.
1. A role in a city
The starting point for most searches.
site:linkedin.com/in "project manager" Turin
2. Several titles for the same role
The same job is written in many ways. Cover them in one search.
site:linkedin.com/in ("data engineer" OR "data developer" OR "big data engineer") Python SQL3. Exclude students and interns
Removes junior profiles when you are looking for experience.
site:linkedin.com/in "java developer" Rome -student -intern -trainee -stage
4. Another country
Use the country subdomain and write the role in the local language too.
site:de.linkedin.com/in ("sales manager" OR "vertriebsleiter") Munich5. Leave out a company
Useful to avoid your own company, a competitor or your client.
site:linkedin.com/in "account manager" Milan -"Company Name"
A simple workflow
- Read the position and pick the must-haves. Two or three skills at most. Every extra word removes results.
- List the role titles. Developer, engineer, programmer: write the variants people really use.
- Start wide, then narrow. Run the search with role and city, then add one skill at a time.
- Read the snippet before opening. The text under each result already shows role, city and often skills.
- Note who is worth contacting and write a short, personal message. See the guide to LinkedIn messages for recruiters.
Mistakes to avoid
- Too many keywords. Five skills at once give zero results. Use the two most important.
- Only one title. You miss everyone who writes the role differently.
- Using automatic scraping tools. LinkedIn prohibits it and can restrict your account. Run the search and read the results yourself.
- Sending the same message to everyone. It shows, and it hurts your reputation.
- Keeping data with no reason. Save only the people you actually contact, and delete the rest.
Keep reading
- 6 LinkedIn messages for recruiters — copy-ready templates
- How to manage candidates — a 7-step method
- Recruiting pipeline stages — stages, example and metrics
Let the program prepare the searches
In JobDesk CRM you paste the job description and the "Find candidates" page works out the role, the skills and the searches for Google and Bing, by city and for 21 countries. You paste the results you copied and it shows which profiles have the skills, with a connection note and a message ready to copy. You run the searches and you send the messages: the program sends nothing by itself. Offline, €79 one-time, 14-day free trial.
Frequently asked questions
Is X-ray search legal?
Searching Google for public pages is normal. What matters is how you use the data: personal data is covered by privacy rules such as GDPR, so contact people with a clear reason, keep only what you need and delete it when it is no longer useful. Check the rules that apply to you.
Why do I see so few results?
Google only shows the public profiles it has indexed, and not all of them. Try other role titles, fewer keywords, or the same search on Bing.
Can I automate it with a tool?
Be careful: automated scraping of LinkedIn is against its terms and can get your account restricted. Running the search yourself and reading the results is safer.
Does it work outside Italy and the US?
Yes. Use the country subdomain, for example de.linkedin.com for Germany, and write the role in the local language as well as in English.