diff --git a/apps/backend/src/app/app.module.ts b/apps/backend/src/app/app.module.ts
index 77876a4..4b83f9c 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/app/app.module.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/app/app.module.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { PluralNamingStrategy } from '../strategies/plural-naming.strategy';
   imports: [
     TypeOrmModule.forRoot({
       type: 'mongodb',
-      host: 'localhost',
+      host: '127.0.0.1',
       port: 27017,
       database: 'c4cOpsTest',
       // username: 'root',
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/users/user.entity.ts b/apps/backend/src/users/user.entity.ts
index 37de38a..170da0d 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/users/user.entity.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/users/user.entity.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+import { IsEmail, IsUrl } from 'class-validator';
 import { Entity, Column } from 'typeorm';
-import { Status, Role, Team } from './types';
+import { Role, Status, Team } from './types';
 
 @Entity()
 export class User {
@@ -16,12 +17,14 @@ export class User {
   lastName: string;
 
   @Column()
+  @IsEmail()
   email: string;
 
   @Column()
   profilePicture: string | null;
 
   @Column()
+  @IsUrl()
   linkedin: string | null;
 
   @Column()
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/users/users.controller.ts b/apps/backend/src/users/users.controller.ts
index b2af31d..f0fa88f 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/users/users.controller.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/users/users.controller.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 import {
   DefaultValuePipe,
   ParseBoolPipe,
+  ParseIntPipe,
   Query,
   Body,
   Controller,
   Get,
   Param,
   Patch,
-  ParseIntPipe,
 } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { UpdateUserDTO } from './update-user.dto';
 import { UsersService } from './users.service';
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ export class UsersController {
     return this.usersService.findAll(getAllMembers);
   }
 
+  @Get('/:userId')
+  getUser(@Param('userId', ParseIntPipe) userId: number) {
+    return this.usersService.findOne(userId);
+  }
+
   @Patch(':userId')
   async updateUser(
     @Body() updateUserDTO: UpdateUserDTO,
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts b/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts
index fda60fb..4af72a5 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/users/users.service.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {
-  Injectable,
   BadRequestException,
+  Injectable,
   UnauthorizedException,
 } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { InjectRepository } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
@@ -35,6 +35,39 @@ export class UsersService {
     return users;
   }
 
+  async findOne(userId: number) {
+    const user = await this.usersRepository.findOneBy({ userId });
+
+    if (!user) {
+      throw new BadRequestException('User not found');
+    }
+
+    const currentUser = getCurrentUser();
+
+    const currentStatus = currentUser.status;
+    const targetStatus = user.status;
+    switch (currentStatus) {
+      //admin can access all users
+      case Status.ADMIN:
+        break;
+      //recruiter can access applicant, and themselves
+      case Status.RECRUITER:
+        if (targetStatus == Status.APPLICANT) {
+          break;
+        } else if (currentUser.userId !== user.userId) {
+          throw new BadRequestException('User not found');
+        }
+        break;
+      //everyone else can only access themselves
+      default:
+        if (currentUser.userId !== user.userId) {
+          throw new BadRequestException('User not found');
+        }
+    }
+
+    return user;
+  }
+
   async updateUser(
     updateUserDTO: UpdateUserDTO,
     userId: number,
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/users/utils.ts b/apps/backend/src/users/utils.ts
index 81af708..05edd0f 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/users/utils.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/users/utils.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { Status } from './types';
 import { User } from './user.entity';
 
 export const getCurrentUser = (): User => ({
-  userId: 999,
+  userId: 1,
   status: Status.ADMIN,
   firstName: 'jimmy',
   lastName: 'jimmy2',