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Use OSINT on LinkedIn

OSINT is an essential instrument in HR to make sure you hire a candidate with a pristine reputation who aligns with corporate values. That’s why we recommend paying special attention to LinkedIn as a part of your OSINT investigation if you are looking for a reliable work partner or a credible job candidate. Review the most efficient tips and tricks for successful LinkedIn research in this article.

Why You Should Use OSINT on LinkedIn?

Conducting OSINT research on LinkedIn is beneficial for both organizational security and verifying the professional credentials of the person. Investigate a LinkedIn in order to:

  • Select Only Qualified Candidates. LinkedIn is a rich resource for finding potential job candidates by analyzing their profiles, skills, endorsements, and career history.
  • Observe the Competitors. Businesses can gain insights into their competitors’ organizational structure, hiring trends, and strategic directions from the LinkedIn profiles. You can use this intelligence to gain competitive advantage over the rivals on the market.
  • Spot Potential Threats. Security professionals can use LinkedIn to identify and monitor individuals or groups that might pose a security threat to an organization.
  • Verify the Background. For due diligence purposes, LinkedIn profiles can help study an individual’s employment history, educational background, and endorsements.
  • Find Leads. Sales teams can use LinkedIn to find potential leads and gather information about them to tailor their sales pitches with a high degree of efficiency. 

How to Find the LinkedIn Profile Name

When it comes to a LinkedIn investigation, you can either optimize the process or do the research by hand. We will cover both options for you. 

Use X-Ray Contact Tool

This instrument allows conveniently looking for contact details and social media links in just a few clicks. You can get a comprehensive Search Profile of your target based on the results aggregated from 15+ providers. The algorithm of actions is simple, even if you have no knowledge of the OSINT techniques: 

  1. Go to the main page of the X-Ray Contact website and choose the “Platform” tab. 
  2. Select a Search channel based on what information you have about a person. It can be a Name, Email, Image, Reverse Phone Search or even a link to other Socials. 
  3. If the Search is successful and the person matches someone in the databases of our providers, we will give you a detailed Search Profile. LinkedIn can either be a part of search results, or you can find out useful leads that will augment your further investigation such as location, contact details, related people, etc.
Start searching

Employ LinkedIn Filters

You can employ in-built LinkedIn search functions, even though the results can be limited. For example, you may just enter the person’s name in the search bar at the top of the LinkedIn homepage. Then, employ filters such as “People,” “Location,” “Current Company,” “Past Company,” and “Industry” to narrow down the search results. That’s how you can manually scroll through the search results to find the profile that matches the person you are looking for. However, this process is tedious and time-consuming as there might be many users with similar names. 

Search LinkedIn Profile’s Activity

In case you want to make sure that you have discovered the correct profile and/or want to dig deeper into the target’s background, it makes sense to check the “Activity” section on LinkedIn. Follow this tutorial: 

  1. On the person’s profile page, scroll down to the “Activity” section. Overview the tabs like “Post,” “Comments,” “Images,” and “Articles.”
  2. You may also manually change the profile URL link to see the most recent LinkedIn footprint of the account. Just paste “/detail/recent-activity/ “ after typing in the username and then investigate the findings. 
  3. In the OSINT investigation, leverage the “All Activity” section to see how a person communicates with others on the platform. This section shows a summary of everything the person has done on LinkedIn, including posts, comments, and likes. That’s how you can detect more about one’s professional network and digital presence.

What Useful Insights Can You Get From a LinkedIn Profile?

We advise to systematize the findings and look for specific evidence that can actually be used to push your research forward. We’ve outlined the most useful things to note down for further research.

Find a Person’s Email and Contacts 

Check the “Contact Info” section of the profile, where users may list their email address, phone number, or other contact details. Also, professionals may include their email in the “About” section of their profile which aids in Reverse Email Search type of investigation. 

Outline a Target’s Online Network 

View the list of first-degree connections who are people directly connected to the person. Moreover, identify and review mutual connections, which can be useful for introductions or background checks. Make sure to check which LinkedIn groups the person is a member of to study their digital trace. 

Analyze an Individual’s Background

Note down the following details about the person which can be important for the OSINT investigation: 

  • Current Position. Details about their most recent job, including role, responsibilities, and achievements.
  • Past Positions. Information about previous work experience, companies, and duration of employment.
  • Career Progression. Insight into their career growth and trajectory, whether there were any noticeable employment gaps. 
  • Top Skills. Key abilities the person has listed to describe themselves. Also, pay attention to the number and quality of endorsements for each skill.
  • Education. Check the degrees, institutions attended, and graduation dates.
  • Recommendations. Scroll through the memos written by others for the individual and those they have written for others. This provides insights into their professional relationships and expertise.

Conclusion

Boost the quality of your OSINT investigation with useful tips on thoroughly studying the LinkedIn profile. If you work in HR or have to sign a business partnership deal, this step is crucial to keep your resources, reputation and money safe.

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