Sourcing in tech recruitment is a moving target. What works today may not work tomorrow. LinkedIn changes its search logic regularly, AI tools are reshaping how platforms surface profiles, and the candidates you need are the same candidates every other recruiter is messaging.
That reality demands a mindset of constant experimentation. Different approaches, different messages, A/B testing on outreach, and an honest assessment of what is actually producing results.
I have recruited across several industries, from real estate to temporary staffing. When I joined Damia two years ago and moved into tech recruitment, the difference was immediately clear. This is a market that requires you to challenge your own methods daily.
This guide covers the sourcing techniques I use on LinkedIn, from quick tricks that take thirty seconds to advanced Boolean logic that can cut a search from thousands of profiles to a targeted shortlist.
Quick LinkedIn tricks most recruiters miss
These four techniques use LinkedIn features that are available to everyone but that most recruiters overlook.
1. Use the basic LinkedIn search bar, not just Recruiter
LinkedIn Recruiter is the standard tool, but the regular LinkedIn search bar sometimes returns different results. Add a short Boolean string, filter by location or company, and keep it simple. You will often surface candidates that Recruiter’s algorithm ranked differently or excluded entirely.
2. Start from the last page of results
When searching for a specific profile type, most recruiters start from page one. So does everyone else. Try starting from the last page of results and working backward. Candidates deeper in the results tend to have fewer profile views and fewer recruiter messages, which means higher response rates.
3. Use a strong candidate’s connections as a search pool
Found an excellent DevOps engineer who turned down your opportunity? Go to their profile, click the connections count, and search within that network for the same skill set. Engineers tend to be connected to other engineers at a similar level. This is one of the most underused discovery methods on the platform.
4. Search with related terms, not just the obvious stack name
If you are looking for a React developer, every other recruiter is searching “React.” Broaden your keyword set by checking related tags on Stack Overflow or related technologies on Wikipedia. Searching for adjacent tools and frameworks surfaces the same calibre of candidate from a different angle, often with far less competition in their inbox.
Getting more from LinkedIn’s basic search
The basic search bar is more powerful than most recruiters realise. Combined with filters, it becomes a genuine sourcing tool, not just a lookup.
When you search for a React Developer in Portugal, the platform returns thousands of results without meaningful context. The trick is layering filters to narrow intelligently.
Filter by company type. Are you looking for candidates from startups, product companies, software houses, or consultancies? Adding company filters changes the results dramatically.
Filter by education. If the role benefits from a Computer Science background, add university filters.
Use structured Boolean in the search bar. Here is an example:
(title: Frontend) AND (skill: React) AND (summary: AWS)
This returns candidates with Frontend in their title, React listed as a skill, and AWS mentioned in their summary. The summary filter is particularly useful because many developers describe their current projects, interests, or experience highlights there. It surfaces intent and context that job titles alone cannot capture.
Check the tail end of your results. After refining your search, scroll to the later pages. Profiles with fewer views or connections are LinkedIn’s version of hidden inventory. They are not less qualified, they are just less visible. Take a chance on them.
Advanced search: Boolean logic and LinkedIn Recruiter filters
If you have a LinkedIn Recruiter account, the platform now uses a filter system built around three tiers: Must Have, Can Have, and Don’t Have. These replace the traditional AND, OR, and NOT operators in the interface, but the logic is the same.
Here is a worked example. You need a software engineer with C# and JavaScript experience for a full-stack role in Lisbon, with PHP as a bonus.
Job Titles:
- Software Engineer (Must Have)
- Web Developer (Can Have)
- Full Stack Developer (Can Have)
Locations:
- Lisbon, Portugal (Must Have)
- Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Can Have)
Skills:
- C# (Must Have)
- .NET (Must Have)
- JavaScript (Must Have)
- ASP.NET (Can Have)
- ASP.NET MVC (Can Have)
- PHP (Can Have)
Years of Graduation:
- 2020 to 2023 (to target recent graduates)
This configuration returned 530 results in my last search. If that number is too high, add more Must Have constraints or narrow the location.
Using keywords with Boolean logic
You can also search with keyword strings combined with experience filters:
(C# AND .NET AND JavaScript) AND ("yoe": 2 OR 3 OR 4)
Adding years of experience narrows the results to candidates with two to four years in the specified titles. A few things to keep in mind:
YOE is approximate. The filter returns profiles where the title-level experience matches, but candidates with relevant experience under a different title may also appear. Treat it as a guide, not a hard boundary.
Be specific with titles. Most recruitment platforms let you select specific titles within broader categories. If you click “Software Engineer,” you can choose which sub-titles to include or exclude. The more deliberate you are here, the cleaner the results.
Putting it all together
The sourcing techniques in this guide are not a fixed playbook. They are a set of tools you combine and adjust depending on the search.
For a straightforward hire where you know the profile well, tips one through four might be enough to fill the pipeline in a few days. For a harder search, advanced Boolean filters and structured keyword logic will get you to a shortlist faster than broad searches and volume messaging ever will.
The common thread across all of them is the same: stop sourcing on autopilot. Try something different. Measure whether it worked. Adjust.
The tech market changes constantly, and the recruiters who source well are the ones who change with it.
Looking for sourcing support on a specific hire? Talk to Damia. Curious about joining the team? See current roles.
