LinkedIn is a social network and recruitment platform used by millions across the world. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, the website was launched in May of 2003. The company’s revenue comes from member subscriptions, advertising sales, and talent solutions. LinkedIn is soon to be acquired by Microsoft (2016).
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The Good
- Price range
- Reach
- Special features
- Experience
- Customer support
Price Range
LinkedIn offers free public individual profile and company pages as a form of social networking. Company pages can showcase a business to potential employees or customers. Personal profiles allow workers to make connections, give recommendations, and search for relevant employment opportunities. Users can share articles, videos, comments, and ideas with followers and connections.
Additional services must be purchased. The basic LinkedIn premium plans and prices are as follows:
- Job Seeker: 1 free month, then $29.99/month
- Business Plus: 1 free month, then $47.99/month
- Sales Navigator Professional: 1 free month, then $64.99/month
- Recruiter Lite: 1 free month, then starts at $99.95/month
Larger companies with more extensive recruitment or advertising goals can upgrade to sponsored content to get their company's updates to more people, attract new followers, and get their message out on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. These plans are set up based on the company's budget and can be cost per click or cost per impression. Similar to the premium plans' option for a free trial, a free demo is available for sponsored content.
Reach
LinkedIn has over 433 million account members, with 106 million unique visiting members each month. There are 128 million members in the U.S., but the majority live in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Special Features
Accounts upgraded to premium have a number of additional avenues available to successfully network. These premium accounts are Job Seeker, Business Plus, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter Lite. Larger businesses with more recruiting needs as well as ad agencies can find additional plans and opportunities through LinkedIn's sales team.
Job Seeker features:
- Direct messaging to recruiters with 3 InMail credits
- Move to top of recruiters' applicant lists
- See who's viewed your profile in last 90 days and how they found you
- See how you compare to other candidates with applicant insights
Business Plus features:
- 15 InMail messages to contact anyone on LinkedIn
- Business Insights: access to key metrics and trends of company
- See who's viewed you in last 90 days and how they found you
- Unlimited profile search
Sales Navigator features:
- 15 InMail messages
- Sales insights on accounts and leads, job changes, company growth
- Advanced search with custom lead lists and advanced search filters
- See what prospects interested in you in last 90 days
- Unlimited profile search
- Lead recommendations and saved leads
Recruiter Lite features:
- 30 InMail messages with templates
- Advanced search for finding candidates
- Track candidates and open roles with Projects
- Recruiting-specific design
- See who's viewed you in the last 90 days
- Unlimited profiles from search results and suggested profiles
- Access all of Job Seeker Premium consumer features
LinkedIn has a number of mobile apps for both iOS and Android devices. The apps are:
- LinkedIn-website functions adapted for mobile app
- Job search-search for and apply in one click
- Lookup-find, learn about, and contact coworkers
- Lynda.com-expert-led courses available for download
- SlideShare-access to over 18 million presentations, infographics, and videos
- LinkedIn Groups-industry conversations (iOS only)
- Pulse-daily professional news source
Premium Apps:
- Recruiter-search and review profiles of potential hires
- Sales Navigator-find leads and accounts in target market, connect, and get updates
- Elevate-find and share interesting articles
Experience
LinkedIn was co-founded in 2003 by Reid Hoffman and a team of colleagues he had worked with from SocialNet and PayPal. The company began as a way for professionals to connect with each other, like an online address book. The following year they introduced groups, and in 2005 job posting and subscriptions became available. With a little over 11 years of experience in the job search industry, LinkedIn isn't the longest-standing company, but it's been around long enough to make major progress over the years, especially with its reach.
Customer Support
LinkedIn has a help forum discussion board where users can ask questions and receive responses from other users as well as LinkedIn staff. Users can sort discussion threads by most active, most votes, and newest, and apply more specific filters as they search for similar inquiries.
The preferred contact with customer service directly was via an online form. After requesting information, customers immediately receive an automated answer acknowledging receipt of the issue. Responses are generally answered within 24 hours.
The Bad
- Resources and learning materials
Resources and Learning Materials
LinkedIn provides surprisingly little educational content to free account holders. Of course, their social network platform is a great avenue to find and share materials, lists, and tips on job-related items from other sources, but there are many other job search websites that have a more broad and deep reservoir of articles on their blogs.
Paid job seekers get access to Lynda.com, a partner site and app with over 4,000 expert-led employment and business courses. Anyone can access a free trial to Lynda services through the website or app before needing to pay.
The Bottom Line
LinkedIn has a great reputation with business professionals and companies across nearly every industry, and it is a clear leader in its own industry of job search and recruitment. Users have access to people, jobs, news, updates, and insights that can help lead to relevant jobs or potential employees. Job seekers do have to pay to access many of the features on LinkedIn, like their InMail messaging system, whereas most companies do not charge job seekers. But where it seems like everyone is on LinkedIn nowadays, it's probably worth the investment.
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User Reviews
Star Rating
128 Reviews
Review Breakdown
Sentiment Criteria
Karen Torino
LinkedIn job search makes it very easy to find sophisticated jobs in my community. They provide all information needed regarding the job description and requirements.
Bryan Jensen
I look at this website every day. They lost the newest jobs and great articles.
Kogan Powell
Really good for networking. A lot of features that would help you find a job can't be unlocked unless you pay monthly. I don't but I eventually plan on doing it, I think it would be worth it.
Myken
I recently signed up for LinkedIn and I have found it difficult to use/navigate. I occasionally get notified of people I may know but haven’t had much feedback on jobs.
Rathan Kumar
A great way to connect. Got my first real job off of a LinkedIn connection. People are really there to help and as a social media platform, its one of the best
Ellie
This site what awesome when I was unemployed. It pulled up everything I might be interested in in my area and made it so much easier to fill out online applications. It’s through this app I found my current job!
Lizzy Puentes
LinkedIn is very simple to use. You make your profile and once searching for jobs, you can just link your already uploaded profile, resume, and other tools you can use. There are many jobs on the website so there is a large variety of careers you can choose from.
Seth Boudoin
Helped show me all the job openings in my area that were suitable just for me. Also gave me contact info making my life easier.
Trey Farner
Using LinkedIn has been an amazing experience when I was looking for my second job. During my job search I was having a hard time finding someone who would accept me with very little retail experience, but LinkedIn made the process super easy
Elizabeth Klemm
I love being able to make so many professional connections in one place with LinkedIn. It really allows me to start building connections early on in my career life as a college student.
Kiara Howard
LinkedIn is a necessary tool for every college student, like myself. If you are looking to build connections in your field, and ultimately gain experiences, this is the site for you!
Janie Dennis
I think this is amazing for business individuals and professionals! It allows you to connect with other people who are in the mindset of success! I have been able to connect with people that have helped me in my career!
Alexa Pitre
LinkedIn is a perfect way to network and find jobs all in one place ! Perfect for those in college or adults searching to further their career
Cade Boudreaux
Linkedin is a great website. It’s easy to make your profile and get your name out there to local jobs. My favorite thing about it is how personalized you can make your prolife to where it feels like it’s not just generic.
Adria
We search for applicants on linked in. It’s the Facebook for business. Nice features for looking at someone’s resume and staying in contact with colleagues
JamieD
Linked in does a great job keeping my network active so we are available to support each other in new careers, projects, or job searches.
Valentino Chanel
Great place for networking while showcasing your skills. I’ve connected with people from same career fields. Very helpful professional site.
Deryl
I love to use LinkedIn for networking and making connections in order to find a good career for myself.
Rebecca
LinkedIn is awesome because it helps me network and connect to others in the same field as me.
Aimee Mortensen
LinkedIn helps me to look for potential employees and stay connected with other business professionals.
Tiffany I
For job opportunities I wouldn’t necessarily go to LinkedIn. Recruiters do reach out often but I would use a better site if I was seriously job hunting.
Silvia Lobendahn
Making connections and posting on LinkedIn is super easy. Networking online was made easy with LinkedIn, I am happy with the app functionality as well.
amy rex
I find the site a little confusing to navigate. I set alerts, but they don't seem to work.
Audrey Mitchell
LinkedIn was q treat company when looking for work. They had new information on job leads that were close to home as well as far away.
Mhorne182
Linked in is good for looking for jobs. The job search feature is good and the connections have been very valuable.
Seth
I really enjoy linked in for its outreach portion of its software but when I comes to job search it would never be my go to. It just doesn’t have a sufficient amount of leads to make it worth wild.
Angelina Hamilton
There are some quality jobs on this site. Many other sites you never know what it really is. I have had many great interview come from those on here!
Makayla Manus
They're always so caught up and have the newest available jobs. It's very easy to use.
Bryndie
I really like LinkedIn as a job search site. They show what connections you have at a specific job which is nice since you have a better chance of getting the job if you know someone.
chris Francom
Networking was a good part of LinkedIn. You could apply for jobs there online and upload your resume.
Justin McMurtrey
I have used Linked In for connecting to different business around the world. It has definitely helped grow my energy business and hire/connect to good people.
Taylor Walker
LinkedIn is such a useful site. When in college, it helps you to connect to people all over and related to your information. It is very easily accessible and organized well.
SkylarPickens
Great at finding jobs available near me! Especially with showing the people my resume!
Kayla
I’m not the biggest fan of this app because it also doesn’t truly direct to jobs or people in jobs that cater to me.
Sarah Russie
Site is good for business networking, however I've not had much luck in finding successful work options through this app, so far. A little more fluff than functionality.
Jacob
Linkedin has a been a great source to find jobs. With daily emails and easy connections, it is impossible to not find a job you love.
Michelle W
This is an awesome site to look for jobs, but I find I only get the full benefit when I'm using LinkedIn Premier so I can see how I compare to other applicants, which stinks. If this was free, I would put LinkedIn as my top job searching site.
Roberson
LinkedIn is a fantastic resource that has allowed me to network and connect with dozens of people in similar occupations. Through their service I have received multiple job offers throughout the years as well as a few jobs. Fantastic resource!
Juan
Anyone who has a professional career should join linkedin. They have lots of job postings and you can also connect with many professional people in the same field as you.
Nathan D.
Linkedin is a great place for business to connect with people looking for employment, sometimes you get messages for jobs you are not interested in or qualified for, however.
Connor
Recently used LinkedIn to hire someone at our work and it was quick and easy. I would definitely do it again.
Daphne Brown
I love the job postings on linkedin and can see the connections being made. It is a good service and has some great strengths. I wish I didn't have to pay so much for premium with very little value helping me find jobs.
Jon Posey
I like LinkedIn for jobs, especially since you can see people who currently work there, I think that is very helpful.
Sara S
I feel like LinkedIn is just a more professional version of Facebook. It really is geared towards socializing rather than finding jobs/professionals.
Brenda Mertes
A lot of my friends use LinkedIn, but I've never seen the appeal personally. If I want to network with people and get jobs solely based on connections, I would go to job fairs or networking events. It is a confusing site for me to navigate and hasn't benefitted me at all in a job hunt before.
Amanda
I love the linked in easy apply feature. When job hunting, it's great to not have to fill out tedious applications to just never hear back.
Megan A McEvoy
LinkedIn has been really helpful to me in making professional connections. I am a college student, so being on LinkedIn allows me to see all of the job opportunities around me that I may be interested in after I graduate. It is also a great platform for me to start networking now so that I have more options available once I graduate.
Angelica Dela Cruz
Linkedin is a perfect website to connect with professionals for job searching. It is like a professional facebook!
Tony
Made a number of valuable contacts on LinkedIn. Very user friendly platform and widely used.
Grant
LinkedIn is the ultimate source online for networking, job searching and resume sharing. It is very useful for trying to find work, and networking yourself and the ease of finding a job that you enjoy.