LinkedIn Learning (previously Lynda.com) offers a wide variety of online courses that aim to help professionals develop new skills and advance their careers. With over 16,000 courses across business, technology, and creative topics, LinkedIn Learning has become a go-to platform for online learning and development. But can taking LinkedIn Learning courses really help you land a new job or promotion? Let’s take a deeper look.
The Value of LinkedIn Learning Courses
LinkedIn Learning offers courses in everything from programming languages like Python and JavaScript to design tools like Photoshop and InDesign. Some of the key benefits of taking LinkedIn Learning courses include:
- Developing new hard skills: LinkedIn Learning is a great way to learn in-demand job skills like SQL, Excel, management, and more. Gaining certifications in these areas can make your resume more attractive.
- Soft skills training: In addition to technical skills, LinkedIn Learning offers courses in areas like communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence. These soft skills are crucial for career success.
- Flexible learning: You can take LinkedIn Learning courses anywhere, anytime, and at your own pace. This flexibility makes it easy to fit learning into a busy schedule.
- Top instructors: Courses are taught by industry experts, many with impressive credentials.
- Variety of topics: With over 16,000 courses, you can find training relevant to almost any field or interest.
For professionals looking to expand their skills or pivot into a new field, LinkedIn Learning offers a powerful and convenient way to build knowledge. The platform makes it easy and affordable to gain training that can directly impact your career opportunities.
Do LinkedIn Learning Courses Really Help You Get a Job?
While taking relevant courses on LinkedIn Learning can certainly help boost your skills, does it really help you land a new job or promotion? The short answer seems to be yes, but indirect ways. Here are some of the top benefits of adding LinkedIn Learning to your job search toolkit:
Strengthen Your Resume
Completing LinkedIn Learning courses allows you to list newly-acquired certifications, skills, and credentials on your resume. This can catch a recruiter’s eye and help you stand out from other applicants. For example, highlighting that you earned a LinkedIn Learning certification in Tableau or project management can strengthen your candidacy for related roles.
Gain Skills to Switch Industries
For those looking to transition into a new field, LinkedIn Learning offers an opportunity to gain skills and familiarity with new disciplines. Courses allow you to explore potential career pivots at low risk. And the skills and certifications you earn will help legitimize your move to recruiters.
Perform Better in Interviews
Interviewers often ask candidates to describe new skills or knowledge they’ve recently acquired. Discussing the LinkedIn Learning courses you’ve completed shows that you take initiative in keeping your skills sharp. It also provides real examples when answering questions about your development activities.
Apply Knowledge Right Away
Unlike traditional classroom education, LinkedIn Learning allows you to implement new skills at work right away. This ability lets you start contributing in new areas faster. Applying your skills makes their value immediately clear to managers considering you for a promotion.
Expand Your Professional Network
In addition to skills, LinkedIn Learning also provides you access to a community of professionals taking courses on the platform. You can leverage this audience to make connections and find mentors within your field. Growing your professional network boosts visibility and surfaces new job opportunities.
Should You Pay for LinkedIn Learning?
While you can access a limited LinkedIn Learning selection for free, full access requires a paid membership which offers several options:
Monthly Subscription
A monthly subscription costs $29.99 per month. This provides unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning courses. It also includes offline viewing and practice files to work with. The monthly plan is ideal if you want maximum flexibility to take a variety of classes.
Annual Subscription
An annual LinkedIn Learning subscription costs $19.99 per month billed annually. This option reduces the monthly fee by 33%. It can save you money if you plan to take a significant number of courses over the year.
Included with LinkedIn Premium
LinkedIn Learning comes bundled with LinkedIn Premium career and business accounts. These packages start at $29.99 per month. Adding Premium provides additional job search features and profile visibility benefits.
Weigh the costs against how you plan to use LinkedIn Learning. For example, a single course may not justify a subscription cost. But serious upskilling efforts and career transitions can warrant the paid access. Many users also gain access through employer program memberships.
The Bottom Line
Here are some key points on whether LinkedIn Learning courses can help you land a new job or promotion:
- LinkedIn Learning provides affordable access to thousands of high-quality courses covering in-demand business, tech, and creative skills.
- Completing relevant courses allows you to add certifications and skills to your resume, perform better in interviews, and expand your professional network.
- Applying the knowledge gained through LinkedIn Learning can help you pivot careers or stand out for promotions in your current field.
- While LinkedIn Learning alone won’t guarantee you a job, it provides valuable upskilling opportunities. Combined with a solid job search strategy, it can help enhance your candidacy and readiness.
So while LinkedIn Learning is not a silver bullet, dedicated learners can certainly leverage it as a valuable asset. The key is choosing courses strategically aligned with your career goals and putting your new skills to work. This helps demonstrate the payoff of your learning investment to potential employers. Approach online learning with purpose, and LinkedIn courses can become an accelerator on the road to career advancement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many LinkedIn Learning courses should I take to get a job?
There is no magic number of courses that will automatically land you a job. It’s about choosing quality over quantity. Carefully select a few courses that build skills relevant to your target role and career goals. Completing 4-6 targeted courses can be enough to achieve meaningful skills development for your job search.
Are LinkedIn Learning certifications worth it?
Yes, earning official certifications through LinkedIn Learning can validate your skills and differentiate you from other candidates. Certificates add credibility and should absolutely be added to your resume and LinkedIn profile. They signal that you invested time in mastering in-demand disciplines.
Is completing a LinkedIn course enough to put on a resume?
Simply taking a LinkedIn Learning course is generally not enough for your resume. You’ll want to highlight that you earned a certification or other credential to demonstrate your new skills. Avoid just listing a course itself, and instead emphasize the tangible skills and qualifications gained.
How do I showcase LinkedIn Learning courses on my resume?
Add a dedicated “Certifications” or “Additional Training” section. List any LinkedIn Learning certificates there along with the issuing organization and year completed. You can also add relevant skills gained to your “Skills” section. Just be sure to accurately represent completed credentials.
How do I choose the best LinkedIn Learning courses for jobs?
Focus on identifying the core skills and requirements for your target roles. Then select LinkedIn Learning courses that teach relevant topics like software, programming languages, management methodologies etc. Let job descriptions and postings guide which skills to prioritize learning.
Key Takeaways
– LinkedIn Learning provides affordable and flexible access to thousands of high-quality courses in business, technology, design, and more.
– Strategically choosing courses aligned with your career goals allows you to build resume-worthy skills and certifications.
– While LinkedIn Learning alone won’t get you a job, it can enhance your candidacy and readiness when combined with a sound job search approach.
– Showcase relevant LinkedIn Learning credentials and skills appropriately on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and in interviews.
– Approach online learning with purpose, and it can serve as a valuable asset to reaching your next career milestone.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Learning offers professionals an easy way to build new skills that can strengthen job applications and candidacy. While LinkedIn Learning courses themselves may not directly land you a job, they provide means to enhance your resume, gain credentials, and acquire knowledge that impresses hiring managers. When combined with a focused career strategy, LinkedIn Learning serves as a powerful career development accelerator.
The key is choosing courses strategically, applying your new skills, and featuring your educational achievements appropriately on your resume, LinkedIn, and in interviews. Professionals who use LinkedIn Learning as part of a holistic career advancement plan will see the greatest benefits when it comes to landing jobs and negotiating promotions. So while not a silver bullet, dedicating time to thoughtful LinkedIn Learning coursework can certainly pay career dividends.
