LinkedIn is the best place to easily find and connect with alumni. Whether you’re looking to leverage your alumni network for lead generation, job opportunities, or simply to reconnect, LinkedIn offers several tools to help you find and reach out to alumni.

How to Find Alumni on LinkedIn
1. The LinkedIn Alumni Tool
The LinkedIn Alumni Tool provides insights into school alumni and allows you to search for alumni using filters like job titles, companies, or functions.
Steps to use the LinkedIn Alumni Tool:
Go to the LinkedIn page of the school you attended.
Click on the “Alumni” tab.
Use the search bar to enter keywords, job titles, or company names.
Apply additional filters such as location, graduation date, or industry.
For example, to find all Harvard alumni who are CEOs:
Enter “CEO” in the search bar.
Apply the Harvard University filter.
Review the results at the bottom of the page.

2. Search for Alumni on LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups are a valuable resource for finding and connecting with alumni.
Steps to find Alumni on LinkedIn Groups:
Go to the LinkedIn search bar and click on “Groups”.
Use a Boolean search with the format: “<School Name>” AND alumni.
Review the list of groups and join the ones that are relevant.
Once you join a group, you can engage with members directly.

3. Search for Alumni on LinkedIn Sales Navigator
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a powerful tool for exploring the LinkedIn database and finding alumni.
Steps to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator:
Open Sales Navigator and go to the lead filters.
Use the “School” filter to enter the name of your school.
Apply additional filters as needed (e.g., location, current company, job title).
Press “Search” to see the alumni profiles.
For example, to find all Harvard Business School alumni who live in the U.S. and work at Google:
Enter “Harvard Business School” in the school filter.
Add “Google” in the current company filter.
Apply the U.S. location filter.
Review the search results.

How to Reach Out to Alumni on LinkedIn
1. Create an Alumni Group
Creating a LinkedIn group for alumni can help you gather and engage with fellow alumni.
Example Message:
” Hello [First Name],
 
I’m trying to gather all the [School Name] alumni into a LinkedIn group so we can stay in touch and network: [Link of the Group].
 
I noticed you were at [School Name] from [Start Date] to [End Date]. Would you be interested in connecting with other alumni from our school?
 
Best,
[Your Name] “

2. Organize an Alumni Event
Organizing a physical or digital event for alumni can help strengthen connections and provide networking opportunities.
Example Message:
” 
Hello [First Name],
 
I’m organizing an event for [School Name] alumni: [Link of the Event].
 
Many people are doing great things, but I feel we are not connected enough. I’m sure we could easily help each other if we communicate more.
 
This event will be held at [Location] on [Date].
 
Are you interested in joining us?
 
Best,
[Your Name] “

3. Simply Ask for a Catch-Up
If you’re not organizing a group or event, you can still reach out for a one-on-one catch-up.
Example Message:
«
Hello [First Name],
 
I’m reaching out to [School Name] alumni to see if we could help each other in business.
 
Our alumni network is really underrated. I think we could all benefit from communicating more.
 
I noticed that you are working in [Industry] as well. We have a few connections in common from school 😉
 
If you’re willing to talk about the good old times and how we can help each other, you can grab some time on my Calendly here: [Calendly Link].
 
Best,
[Your Name]

Conclusion
LinkedIn provides several effective methods to find and connect with alumni. By using the LinkedIn Alumni Tool, joining relevant LinkedIn groups, and leveraging LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you can easily locate alumni and build valuable connections. Reaching out through personalized messages, creating alumni groups, or organizing events can further enhance your networking efforts and help you tap into a supportive community of former classmates and colleagues.