How to Find the Right Job Title on LinkedIn When You're Unsure What to Search For

In today’s diverse job market, job titles vary widely across companies and industries, even for similar roles. This can be a real challenge if you're job hunting on LinkedIn without a clear idea of what your target role might be called in different organizations. But don’t worry—LinkedIn’s search tools, along with a few practical techniques, can help you discover relevant titles and improve your chances of finding the right opportunity.

1. Start with Keyword Searches
If you’re uncertain about job titles, start by searching for general skills or responsibilities related to your expertise. For example, instead of searching for "Marketing Specialist," try "digital marketing" or "social media strategy." Entering broad keywords will yield a range of titles associated with that skill set.
How to Do It:

• Go to LinkedIn's job search section and type in one or two key skills.
• Look through the job listings to identify commonly used titles.
• Make a note of any titles that seem relevant to your experience or aspirations.

2. Explore LinkedIn’s “People” Tab for Inspiration
One powerful feature of LinkedIn is the “People” tab, where you can search for professionals with similar skills, backgrounds, or previous roles. By analyzing profiles of people in your field, you can identify common titles and career paths.
How to Do It:

• Use the search bar to input a key skill or previous job title.
• Click on the “People” tab to see profiles of professionals with those keywords.
• Review their job titles and career progressions to get ideas for titles to search.

3. Use LinkedIn’s “Related Jobs” Feature
LinkedIn's job postings often come with a “Related Jobs” section, suggesting similar positions based on the job you’re currently viewing. This feature can be incredibly useful for discovering alternative job titles.
How to Do It:

• When viewing a job posting, scroll to the “Related Jobs” section.
• Note any interesting titles that appear here, as these are typically similar but may offer different angles or levels within a field.
• Repeat this process with several postings to diversify the job titles you explore.

4. Try Boolean Search Techniques
Boolean search involves using operators like “AND,” “OR,” and “NOT” to refine your search. For instance, you could search “(Social Media OR Digital Marketing) AND Coordinator” to discover relevant job titles for specific responsibilities.
How to Do It:

• Use parentheses and Boolean terms to combine different keywords in LinkedIn’s search bar.
• Experiment with different combinations to get a wider array of results.
• Focus on finding roles that align with your skills and experience but may have varying titles.

Embrace a creative approach to LinkedIn job searching, and you’ll likely uncover titles and opportunities you hadn’t even considered.

Happy job hunting!