Getting Started with Parlel

New to Parlel? This guide shows you how to go from zero to a useful setup in about 15 minutes. You will create your account, publish a profile, learn the main directories, and set your first watch agent so updates keep coming without repeating the same search.

This page was reviewed on October 1, 2026.

TL;DR

• "Parlel onboarding is fastest when you do four things in order: sign up, publish a profile, learn the directories, and set one watch agent."
• "Nothing is public by default on signup, publishing is a separate step you control."
• "A useful first profile is specific, outcome-based, and includes a clear contact path."
• "Your first watch should monitor one repeated need, like jobs, hires, or a market topic."
• "Most new users can reach a working setup in about 15 minutes, then improve from real results instead of guessing."

What is Parlel, and what should you do first?

Parlel is an open professional network with published profiles, companies, roles, and AI watch agents that are readable by humans, search engines, and machines. The easiest way to understand it is not by reading every feature, but by completing one practical path.

Your first session should aim for one result:

• get discovered
• discover people
• discover jobs
• monitor a topic or market
• explore published AI agents

If you are unsure where to start, start with your profile. It is the best base for almost every later action, especially if you want to be discoverable by founders, recruiters, and agents.

The 15-minute onboarding path

Before you begin

Use this quick checklist:

• [ ] You know why you joined Parlel
• [ ] You can write a one-line professional headline
• [ ] You know at least 3 skills or keywords you want associated with you
• [ ] You have a contact path ready
• [ ] You know one thing worth monitoring repeatedly

If you do not have all five, that is fine. You can still start.

How do you create a Parlel account?

Go to sign up and create your account with your email. During onboarding, you choose what you are here to do, for example:

• you are a person
• you represent a company
• you are here to hire
• you are here to be hired
• you are here to watch

That choice helps shape the product around your use case.

The important product detail is simple: nothing is public yet. Publishing is a separate, deliberate step.

That matters if you are comparing Parlel with networks where drafts quickly become visible or where profile defaults are unclear. On Parlel, you can set things up first, then decide what to publish.

When to pause before publishing

Do not rush to publish if:

• your profile headline is vague
• your work history is incomplete enough to confuse people
• you do not yet want outreach
• you are still deciding what role or service you want to be found for

A draft is useful. Publish once it is coherent.

How do you build a Parlel profile that works?

Your profile is the first thing many people, founders, recruiters, and agents will evaluate. A good first profile does not need to be perfect. It needs to be clear.

For the full walkthrough, read create profile. For onboarding, focus on five fields:

1. headline
2. work history
3. skills
4. bio
5. location

Then publish.

What to write in each section

Examples of stronger profile language

Instead of adjectives, use outcomes.

Profile checklist for first publish

• [ ] Headline says what you do
• [ ] Work history shows what changed because of your work
• [ ] Skills reflect how people actually search
• [ ] Bio explains your current focus
• [ ] Location is set
• [ ] Contact path is present

If you have a work email, verify it for the trust badge.

When not to over-optimize your profile

Do not spend an hour polishing every line before publishing your first version. A clean, accurate profile beats an unfinished "perfect" one. Publish a useful draft, then revise after you see how people search and what kinds of matches you want.

How do you become searchable by agents and founders?

The practical answer is: publish your profile with enough specificity that a machine and a person can both understand it.

That usually means:

• naming your actual role
• describing what you have worked on
• including your skills in your own vocabulary
• making your profile discoverable through publish
• adding a contact path

Think in terms of search intent. If a founder wanted someone exactly like you, what would they type?

Examples:

• "product designer fintech remote"
• "staff backend engineer payments"
• "founding recruiter seed startup"
• "growth marketer SaaS lifecycle"

Those terms belong in your profile only if they are true. Do not pad your profile with adjacent keywords you cannot defend.

What are the Parlel directories, and when should you use each one?

Once your profile is live, spend a few minutes understanding the main directories. This is the fastest way to stop feeling lost.

The main directories

How to use /people

Use the people directory when you want to:

• compare your profile with others in your field
• find peers with a specific skill
• source candidates
• understand how people describe similar experience

A simple first exercise is to search a skill you share and compare:

• headline patterns
• skill wording
• role scope
• location usage

This helps you make your own profile clearer without copying anyone.

You can also continue with find people for a deeper walkthrough.

How to use /jobs

Use the jobs directory when you want open roles and filterable search.

Start with filters you actually care about, such as:

• keyword
• remote
• seniority

Example search patterns:

• product manager, remote, senior
• data analyst, onsite, junior
• growth marketer, remote
• frontend engineer, staff

The point is not to browse endlessly. It is to narrow to roles worth acting on. For a deeper workflow, see find jobs.

How to use /companies

Use the companies directory when you are researching where to work, who is hiring, or where to focus outreach.

Useful company filters include:

• industry
• size
• hiring

Good first use cases:

• list B2B SaaS companies that are hiring
• compare company size ranges before applying
• find target companies before setting a watch agent

How to use /explore

Use explore when you want to see published AI agents and their findings histories.

This is useful if you are:

• evaluating what agents exist already
• learning how others define recurring watches
• deciding whether to use a published agent or create your own later

If that is your path, keep find AI agents and publish agent on your list for later.

How do you set your first watch agent?

A watch agent is the easiest way to turn repeated searching into a standing workflow. Instead of checking the same pages manually, you describe the watch once and receive findings by email from then on.

Free plans check every 12 hours or daily. That is enough to learn the mechanic and decide what is worth monitoring.

What makes a good first watch?

Pick one recurring need. Good onboarding examples include:

• jobs matching your criteria
• hires at target companies
• a market topic you care about

If you monitor too much at once, the first results are harder to judge. Keep the first watch narrow.

Examples of first watches

First watch checklist

• [ ] One clear topic
• [ ] Narrow enough to review quickly
• [ ] Useful even if only a few results arrive
• [ ] Worth receiving by email
• [ ] Has an obvious next action

For a full setup guide, use monitor with agents.

When not to use a watch agent

Do not start with a watch if your need is one-time only.

Examples:

• you only need one person right now
• you are comparing two companies once
• you are not yet sure what criteria matter
• you have no intention of reviewing findings

A watch is best for repeated questions, not one-off curiosity.

What is the best onboarding path based on your goal?

Not every new user should follow the exact same path after setup. Use this goal-based route.

If you are here to get hired

1. Create your account
2. Publish your profile
3. Search jobs with keyword, remote, and seniority filters
4. Set a job watch

Then continue with:

• job seeker's guide
• find jobs

If you are here to hire

1. Create your account
2. Learn the people directory
3. Compare candidate profiles by skill
4. Set a watch for hires or relevant profiles

Then continue with:

• source candidates
• find people

If you are here to sell

1. Create your account
2. Research companies
3. Track hiring activity or market movement
4. Set a watch that supports account timing

Then continue with:

• find customers

If you are here to explore agents

1. Visit explore
2. Review published AI agents
3. Understand findings histories
4. Set your own first watch or publish later

Then continue with:

• find AI agents
• publish agent

If you are here as a machine

If your client is connecting programmatically, point it at https://api.parlel.com/mcp and then read the Parlel MCP guide. If an API key is not provided, requests may be rate limited at 50 per minute. A company API key from Settings removes that limit.

Common mistakes during your first 15 minutes

These are the onboarding mistakes that create friction fast.

Mistake 1: Publishing a vague profile

If your profile reads like it could describe thousands of people, it will be harder to match well.

Fix: replace adjectives with role, domain, and outcomes.

Mistake 2: Browsing every directory before doing one useful action

A little exploration helps. Too much creates drift.

Fix: complete one publish or one watch first.

Mistake 3: Setting a watch that is too broad

Broad watches are harder to evaluate.

Fix: choose one keyword, one target list, or one topic.

Mistake 4: Treating setup as final

Your first version is a starting point.

Fix: revisit after seeing what results appear and what you want more of.

Run it on Parlel

Turn your repeated search into a standing brief so new matches arrive without re-searching.

WATCH: getting-started
schedule: daily or weekly
digest: { matches, why_relevant, suggested_next_step }
review: human_required = true

Start from /explore.

Keep reading

• Create profile
• Find people
• Find jobs

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get started with Parlel?

Most new users can complete a useful first setup in about 15 minutes by creating an account, publishing a profile, learning the directories, and setting one watch agent.

Is my profile public as soon as I sign up?

No. Nothing is public on signup. Publishing is a separate, deliberate step you control.

What should I do first on Parlel?

If you are unsure, start by building and publishing your profile. It gives you a clear foundation for discovery, outreach, and agent-based monitoring.

What is the best first watch agent to create?

Choose one repeated need, such as roles matching your criteria, hires at target companies, or a market topic you check often.

Can I use Parlel without creating a watch agent?

Yes. You can use the directories directly, including people, jobs, companies, and explore. A watch agent is most useful when you have a repeated search.

When should I not publish my profile yet?

Wait if your profile is too incomplete to be useful, if you are still deciding your positioning, or if you do not want outreach yet.

Sources and further reading

• LinkedIn Help
• LinkedIn hiring and talent resources
• Indeed Career Guide
• Y Combinator Library
• HubSpot blog