🪄How do you find the perfect study participants on LinkedIn?

Written by: Prakriti Kumar

When it comes to the world of hiring, it's hard to ignore the behemoth that is LinkedIn. We all know it's THE place where professionals from every corner of the planet gather. This network of professionals, while optimal for hiring, also provides a massive participant pool for study recruitment. Through this article, we share a few tips and tricks to manipulate LinkedIn searches to find your perfect professional sample, without even paying for Premium!

A good Linkedin profile is a must

Quite self-explanatory! When you are recruiting on Linkedin, your LinkedIn profile is their first introduction to you as a researcher. Make sure that your profile is complete, and lists your educational and professional experiences and achievements.

Similarly, if you are recruiting on behalf of a company, make sure that the company LinkedIn page accurately depicts what the company does and how you fit in the picture.

Expand your Search terms

Linkedin does have a detailed People search feature, including multiple filters for location, education, companies and so on. However, if you are looking for professionals using a specific tool, the Posts search is your best friend! Look through Posts with your tags of interest, or simply search for your topic on the search bar and browse through posts.

Say, for instance, if you are interested in understanding the experiences of teachers and professors adapting to the advent of online-based education, simply search for “teaching online classes”. The search results are then tailored to your sample and can give you an initial idea of the person’s experiences.

Always have a strong Connect

While InMails are the best option to pitch your study, they are paid, and limited even in the Premium version. However, just a Connect will not clarify to your potential participants why you are Connecting with them.

To contextualize your Connect, always make sure to add a Note. In this Note, briefly describe your study and request their participation. Focus on pitching yourself or your company in the note, and give them reason why they would want to participate (monetary or not). This also helps weed out participants who may not be willing to undertake the long qualitative research process.

One of the limitations is that LinkedIn only allows for 300 characters in a Connect, which restricts your ability to establish your credibility as a researcher. Fear not, a good and credible LinkedIn profile will almost always guarantee some positive responses! Further, you can always end your Note with an assurance for details once they accept your Connect.

Overall, Linkedin provides a great platform to recruit professionals with minimal-to-no-costs of acquisition. In particular, the aforementioned tips work best when you are looking for smaller or staggered samples. For a larger database and a smoother contact process, LinkedIn Sales Navigator may come in handy.

Cover Photo by: Airam Dato-on