Finding the right person at a company can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack—especially when everyone’s job title sounds important, but only a handful actually call the shots. Whether you’re in sales, recruiting, or just need to get something done, you don’t want to waste time pitching to the wrong people. This guide is for anyone who’d rather skip the guesswork and connect directly with decision makers.
Let’s break down, step by step, how to do this using Proxycurl People Search—one of the few tools that actually delivers usable, up-to-date data instead of just a firehose of outdated LinkedIn profiles.
Step 1: Know What You’re Looking For (and What to Ignore)
Before you even open up Proxycurl, get clear on who actually makes decisions at your target companies. Here’s the honest truth: job titles are a mess. “Manager” can mean anything from team lead to glorified intern; “Director” might be just a fancy title at a small company.
What matters: - Company size: Titles mean different things at a 10-person startup vs. a Fortune 500. - Department: Who’s likely to own the problem you solve? Marketing, IT, HR? - Seniority: Are you looking for someone who sets budgets, or someone who just follows them?
Ignore: - Flimsy job titles (“Ninja,” “Guru,” “Evangelist”—skip these). - People with no recent activity or employment updates; they’re probably ghosts.
Pro tip: Make a short list of 2–3 job titles or roles that really fit your criteria. Don’t cast the net too wide—you’ll just get noise.
Step 2: Get Set Up With Proxycurl People Search
If you haven’t used Proxycurl before, here’s the quick (and honest) lowdown: it pulls real-time data from public profiles, mainly LinkedIn, and gives you a search interface or API to dig into people at any company.
- Sign up for a Proxycurl account. They have a free tier, but expect to hit limits if you’re doing serious prospecting.
- Decide: Will you use the web interface, or the API? The web tool is fine for quick searches. The API is better if you want to automate or enrich lots of leads.
Don’t bother with tools that just scrape business directories—they’re outdated in weeks, and everyone else has the same list.
Step 3: Search for the Company (and Get the Right One)
Search for your target company by name in Proxycurl. This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many companies have lookalike names or multiple entities.
- Double-check: Are you pulling the right company (correct location, industry, size)?
- Avoid subsidiaries unless you really want them. Parent company is usually what you want for big decisions.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, cross-reference with the company’s website or LinkedIn page. Data is only as good as your input.
Step 4: Filter for Decision Makers (Not Just Anyone With a Fancy Title)
Here’s where Proxycurl shines compared to most database tools: you can actually filter for seniority, department, and activity.
- Filter by seniority: Look for C-level (CEO, CTO, CMO, etc.), VP, or Director. At smaller companies, “Head of” titles can matter more.
- Filter by department: Target the function that matches what you do. If you’re selling a cybersecurity tool, don’t waste time with the VP of Marketing.
- Check recent activity: Has the person updated their profile or changed jobs recently? That’s a sign they’re active and reachable.
What to ignore: - Junior staff or people with “Assistant,” “Coordinator,” or “Specialist” titles—they almost never make purchasing decisions. - Retired or “Advisor” roles unless you have a specific reason.
Step 5: Vet Your Results—Don’t Take Data at Face Value
Not all results are gold. Even with Proxycurl’s fresh data, you still need to sanity-check before reaching out.
- Verify employment: Cross-check their LinkedIn or company page to make sure they really work there.
- Look for red flags: Gaps in employment, endless consulting gigs, or profiles with almost no info—these are usually dead ends.
- Check for gatekeepers: Sometimes, the “decision maker” is just the most public-facing person. If you see lots of PR or HR profiles, dig deeper.
Pro tip: If you’re in doubt, look for mutual connections or recent press releases mentioning actual decision makers.
Step 6: Find Contact Info (But Don’t Be Creepy)
Proxycurl sometimes gives you contact details, but these aren’t always available or accurate (nobody’s cracked the code on universal, up-to-date emails). Here’s what works:
- Use the email formats you know: If you know the company uses firstname.lastname@company.com, try that.
- Check LinkedIn for hints: Sometimes people list their emails, especially if they’re in sales or recruiting.
- Enrichment tools: If Proxycurl doesn’t have the email, plug the person’s info into an email finder (Hunter.io, Voila Norbert, etc.).
What not to do: - Don’t spam people at random addresses. It’ll get you blocked or marked as junk. - Don’t rely on generic inboxes (info@, contact@)—they go nowhere.
Step 7: Reach Out—But Make It Count
Now that you’ve got the right person, don’t waste your shot with a generic pitch.
- Personalize: Mention something specific about the company or the person’s role.
- Be concise: Nobody reads long emails from strangers.
- Don’t pretend to be a friend: People see through fake rapport. Be direct about why you’re reaching out.
Pro tip: If you don’t get a reply, try a polite follow-up. But don’t hound people—it’s a small world.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Watch Out For
What works: - Using filters for both seniority and department. - Cross-referencing with public info before you reach out. - Keeping your outreach focused and respectful.
What doesn’t: - Relying on one database for everything. No tool is perfect. - Assuming every “decision maker” actually holds budget authority. Sometimes you need to ask. - Sending the same pitch to everyone.
Ignore the hype: - Tools that promise 100% accuracy or “secret” access to decision makers. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. - Endless data enrichment. Sometimes good enough is good enough—you just need to get started.
Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Don’t overcomplicate it. The point isn’t to build the world’s biggest list—it’s to get in front of the right people, quickly. Use Proxycurl People Search to cut through the noise, double-check your info, and reach out with a clear, simple message. If you’re not getting traction, tweak your criteria and try again. That’s it.
The best results come from actually doing the work—not waiting for perfect data. Get moving, learn as you go, and don’t let the endless tools and features distract you from the basics.