LinkedIn is great, but sometimes you just need to send a direct email. You can find people’s email addresses on LinkedIn, but remember to always do it ethically and in line with LinkedIn’s policies. Let’s discuss why it’s useful to find emails through LinkedIn, how to go about it legally, and what alternatives are available if email contact isn’t an option.
Why finding emails on LinkedIn is useful
Email offers a more direct and formal means of communication compared to LinkedIn messages. Many professionals prefer to handle important business matters through email rather than LinkedIn’s messaging platform, especially when it comes to formal partnerships or project inquiries. Reaching out via email often leads to a quicker and more focused response. Moreover, LinkedIn messages can sometimes get overlooked, especially if a user doesn’t actively check their LinkedIn account. Email is always a more reliable way to reach someone directly.
When and why you should reach out via email
There are several situations where email is more appropriate than LinkedIn messaging, like reaching out to potential clients or collaborators when you need to present detailed proposals, sending a follow-up email to a hiring manager after applying for a job, or if you’re planning to attend a conference or event – emailing someone beforehand to arrange a meeting shows professionalism and initiative. In all these cases, reaching out via email often conveys a higher level of commitment than sending a simple LinkedIn message.
How professionals use LinkedIn for email networking
Many professionals use LinkedIn as the starting point to gather information before moving conversations to email. Networking on LinkedIn is a good starting point, but once a connection is made, email often becomes the preferred method for in-depth discussions, collaborations, and negotiations.
Ways to find an email address through LinkedIn
Finding someone’s email address on LinkedIn isn’t always straightforward, but there are several methods you can use—legally and ethically.
Checking the “Contact Info” section
The most direct way to find someone’s email address on LinkedIn is to check their profile’s “Contact Info” section. If a user has chosen to make their email public, it will be displayed here.
Using advanced search strategies
If the email address isn’t listed in the contact information, you can try advanced search strategies:
- Cross-reference profiles: Check other social media platforms or websites where the person might have provided their contact information.
- Email Discovery Tools: There are email lookup tools designed to help you find professional email addresses. Many of these tools can search databases that pull information from public sources, including LinkedIn.
Ethical considerations and LinkedIn policies
LinkedIn has specific rules regarding how user information can be accessed and used. Always follow these guidelines, or else you could find yourself in a legal mess (or your account could get suspended).
What LinkedIn allows (and what it doesn’t)
LinkedIn’s policies emphasize user privacy. Scraping LinkedIn for contact information using unauthorized software is against their terms of service. Any attempts to extract data without permission could lead to penalties or bans from the platform.
Best alternatives if an email isn’t available
If you can’t find an email address on LinkedIn and it’s not available through other means, there are alternative ways. You can always start the conversation on LinkedIn, and if the relationship progresses, politely ask for their email address.You could also check if the person works for a company that lists contact information on their official website. If you’re attending a professional event or industry conference, it’s rather smart to use LinkedIn to find attendees beforehand, then ask for their contact information in person. A very ethical means to get someone’s contact info is also asking your mutual connections for an introduction, if you have some.
