How to Perform a Reference Search in LinkedIn

LinkedIn allows you to search for someone who has worked with someone you’re researching. LinkedIn has created the Reference search to give you more information about a person or company.

A reference search is useful if you’re about to hire someone and want to speak with someone who knows the potential candidate, or if you are deciding to hire a consultant for a project but want to contact someone who has hired this consultant in the past. Maybe you’re about to enter a business deal and want some information from someone who knows your potential new partner.

All you need is the company name and the range of years someone has worked there, and LinkedIn searches your network and shows you the people who match that search and how closely they’re connected to you.

Click the Advanced Search link at the top right of the LinkedIn home page.

You’re taken to the People page, and the People Search tab is selected.

Enlarge

Click the Reference Search tab along the top of the page.

The Reference Search tab opens, as shown here.

Enter the name of the company and a date range into the boxes provided.

You can enter more than one company and date range, and you will get a list of potential references who worked at any of the companies on your search.

Enlarge

When you're ready, click the Search button to start your search.

If you have the basic account, you see a Summary page like the one shown here. This gives you an idea of how many potential connections exist and how many are connected to your immediate network. If you have a Business or Pro account, you see a list of people (like in a name or job title search) that worked at the designated company in that timeframe.