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).
Top Ranked Companies
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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.
User Reviews
Star Rating
283 Reviews
Review Breakdown
Sentiment Criteria
Alessandra Jacques
LinkedIn is great for managing networks, and the built-in job search functionality is quite helpful. I've found LinkedIn's search recommendations to be the most accurate - I rarely receive jobs that are in the wrong area, role or even industry.
Jane Garner
I posted my new bookkeeping service and in less than 2 day I got a job infer! It is the best career networking site that's around. It offers much more than just networking!
LinkedIn's review score is 5.7% lower than the average review score of the top recommended Job Search Company
Rachel Hoyle
About half of my friends and family use this and I have yet to hear a negative comment. I love how I get an email telling me how often I appear in a job search. Great resource.
Valencia Rucker
Great networking platform for employers and employees. You can stay connected with friends as well as colleagues on one platform.
Dreama Wright
Lots of annoying emails like your resume is getting views even after you're done with the website, never seems to take you to the right play to apply
Missy Truth
Mixed feelings on this service. It is run almost with a Facebook type setup with posts and things. Not easy to find what you want unless you know the name of the person . People are usually very vague in their resumes. Some users try to use it like a dating site making it unappealing to a lot of women. Also, the qualities section is useless because people set their own skills and strength, many overdo it.
Greg Christensen
Very thorough and professional. Easy to work with and very understanding of all business aspects.
SJ
Great network but bad support for site itself. If you forget password or email address. Or change numbers for back up just know you won’t have any luck getting into the page until you have your memory back.
Sharmae Gilgen
I like the regular emails they send when companies are hiring with your work experience.
jonesaw
LinkedIn should be your one stop location for job search and resume building. It is an excellent place to build a large network of people and stay current with the latest trends in various industries. One of the best tools you can utilize is the job search tool: it has gotten me many interviews over the years and also connected me to many people (including recruiters) who have given me job referrals. Remember it isn't what you know, it is who you know!
Sharon
Good place for connecting with other people in the same line of work. Great networking tool
brandon wilkins
LinkedIn is a very popular networking site to meet others in the same industry and to connect with them.
Abby Bostick
I have a LinkedIn account but have not used many of it's features because it seems like you have to pay for everything. As a free service, I don't find it very useful.
Sarah Marfo
This is a great site and very similar to Facebook. There are always companies and associates updating the site with new exciting things to join.
Aaron
Wants to be Facebook for businesspeople; Is actually MySpace for businesslesspeople. Too much effort invested into developing profile & contacts, not enough actual job opportunity.
sharon denise lowe
didnt understand the concept people were finding me i thought this was a job site i dont like how my information is world wide and people i didnt want to find me found me
Tylyn Hansen
LinkedIn is amazing and has been an excellent tool for networking. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today in my career without LinkedIn! I love that the content is tailored to my career preferences, as it provides me with news and updates about what's happening in the creative industry, while providing opportunities to connect with other creative individuals and expand that network.
Keshondra Shipp
LinkedIn is such a great company for all things professional. They helped me secure a job shortly after making an account. Highly recommend for any and everyone that wants to network and find jobs/careers.
Frederline Jean
I like that it can update your profile on your newest achievements and make posts. I like that LinkedIn can connect you to any professional in branch of the workplace, whether it’s business or medicine or real estate. It’s a good platform for connecting and communicating with individuals from all over. What I don’t like is that you have to pay for specific services and to see who is viewing your account and you can’t always message just anyone.
Justin Pumilia
Neat for keeping up with friends from school but the job searching does not seam to help me much. But the easy application process they give is awesome help on many job sites. Keep it up!
rob cunningham
If you are self employed like I’am or job searching then this is the company for you there listings are outstanding very thorough and most of all there listings are free!!!
Joannetta Jarman
We have used LinkedIn to hire many of our employees at some of our restaurant locations. We liked how the calibre of people on this platform was more refined than those of other job sites.
Jordon Patton
Great platform to network and connect with employers and mentors. Also a great way to keep up with your current networks.
Tracy Yeager
Great way to get your name out there and connect with possible employers! Would definitely tell all my friends and
Brandon Farrow
LinkedIn is an amazing resource! It’s opened tons of doors and helped me make extremely valuable connections in business.
Karli
I have an account with LinkedIn and it is definitely a good resource for connecting with people professionally. I do think they send too many emails and are sometimes too persistent, trying to get you to talk to someone. But overall, it’s a great resource to connect with people.
Daniel Snow
I like LinkedIn quite a bit. I paid for the premium membership when I was busy job hunting and definitely felt that it provided valuable information.
applebutteranna Butler
LinkedIn is not my favorite place to search for a job but it is a good way to network. I don't use Linkedin very much.
Ryan Matheson
This is an amazing way to market myself and also get new jobs. I love the networking possibilities.
Chris Benton
I enjoy it very much. Keeps me in the loop, relating to jobs and companies. I like being able to follow pages I am interested in.
Mark Troxel
I use LinkedIn for job searches. I have not been actively looking for work, but use it to see what is available in the area. I have applied online for a handful of jobs where I was interested but have not accepted any offers. My main complaint with LinkedIn as a job search tool is often the employer does not list the pay range for the job and so you are left to other sources to try and figure that out.
Michelle O
Love quick and easy searches and ease of setting up an account. I used linked in to connect with other healthcare professionals
Sophie
Linkedin helps you evolve as a career person and helps build a circle of connections that can be helpful for your career and possibly future job opportunities. You can do a lot with a LinkedIn account and become an active member and build a great circle of professional connections, very useful
G Burt
LinkedIn does a terrific job of connecting people in a way that helps to further careers and boost industries. I have utilized LinkedIn for job searches and connecting with potential employers in an effort to boost my candidacy, and it has worked great. I do think that premium subscription is too expensive to use long-term.
eileen matos
Connects you with people from your work field, school and hometown to help you creating a network to develop your career
Blake Hirschi
I got connected to my current job through linkedIn and I love it. other sites have worked for me in placing me in a position quickly, but only LinkedIn has worked to put me in a job that is a perfect fit for my qualifications and that I'm 100% satisfied with.
James Hare
It was simple to set up job preferences, and then it would ping me with accurate descriptions of jobs I would like to have someday and should apply for. Much more accurate than Monster or Glassdoor so far
Jackie Hanko
This website is more effective than any other website when it comes looking for jobs because you can see that you have connections that can help you talk to somebody in the company and it’s nice that you can apply street from LinkedIn and I have to put in all your information over and over again in each website that you’re applying to… I’ve been able to reach out to friends about positions at other companies and get information from them to know whether it would be a good fit or not
KKin
Companies use Linkedin pretty regularly. It's a good resource to get up to date info on available jobs.
Landon Pliler
Solid platform for making business connections. Love how easy it has made job searching.
Kris Kehe
LinkedIn is a great site to create a network of people you have worked with in the past and present and helps to expand your current network to potential future job opportunities.
Jared
LinkedIn has been such a good tool for me! I've found several job openings I otherwise wouldn't have found. The Premium subscriptions is a little on the pricey side, but nothing but good things about LinkedIn!
austin pliler
I really enjoy LinkedIn. It’s the best place to learn about tech news and other exciting events in the business world and make connections in my area. I have received job offers and other opportunities from it as well.
Jennifer Ashby
Linked in is the best! It is so refreshing to have this social media platform. I can see updates for my connections and congratulate them. I have had companies reach out to me for work that otherwise wouldn’t have found em.
Keira Jayne
Linkedin is a great way to attract the attention of companies you are interested in working with without seeming over interested. And it is a great always available cv.
Kellie Payne
Site has a lot of opportunities and works like a social media site, however you get spammed with unsolicited messages from recruiters
Stephanie
I have LinkedIn and I love the fact that I can go on and find potential jobs or just connect with people in my field.
Mason Allen
An absolute must in job searching. Makes it easy to connect with professionals in your field with just a click of a button. Also provides a mini-resume for anyone who comes across your profile.
Dr. Daniel R. Thomas
I have posted my resume with Linkin for the last 10 years. Because of this app, I have made several important contacts for my work as well as received several very good job offers. This is much better than any of the other "job" sites out there.
Tyler B
I use LinkedIn for networking and to stay connected with friends and colleagues. LinkedIn has always been a great resource for people who are looking with jobs and to connect with recruiters. LinkedIn's online platform makes it easy to search for jobs by region, job type, and industry.