In the competitive job market, job seekers are always looking for ways to make their resumes stand out. LinkedIn badges have become an increasingly popular way to showcase skills, accomplishments, and certifications. But do LinkedIn badges actually help candidates land jobs? Here is an in-depth look at the value of LinkedIn badges.
What are LinkedIn badges?
LinkedIn badges are icons that appear on a user’s profile to highlight skills, courses, and certifications. There are several types of badges available on LinkedIn:
- Skill badges – Endorsements from your connections for skills like “Social Media Marketing” or “Project Management”
- Course badges – Completion of LinkedIn Learning courses or other partner content
- Certification badges – Earned professional or industry certifications
- Organization badges – Affiliation with companies or groups
- Event badges – Participation in or speaking at conferences and events
- Media badges – Published articles, books, or other media
Badges serve both as visual validation of skills and achievements, as well as a way to catch a recruiter’s eye when skimming through profiles. They essentially act as mini resume boosters right on your LinkedIn profile.
Do recruiters value LinkedIn badges?
According to LinkedIn’s own research, 66% of talent acquisition leaders say badges make them more likely to contact candidates. The most valued badges were those related to skills, courses, and certifications.
However, other surveys of recruiters have found mixed perceptions:
- A 2020 Michael Page survey found that 65% of recruiters said LinkedIn badges had no influence on their hiring decisions.
- A 2021 Robert Walters survey found that only 28% of US recruiters said badges helped them identify the right candidates. The majority said skills listed and previous job titles were more telling.
So recruiter opinions seem split on just how useful LinkedIn badges really are. They may help in grabbing initial interest, but the content of the profile itself seems to still hold more weight.
Which LinkedIn badges boost employability the most?
While recruiter perceptions on the value of badges vary, some specific types of LinkedIn badges do appear more likely to influence hiring decisions:
- Skills badges – Broad skills like “Leadership” don’t hold much weight, but specific skill endorsements in areas matching the job description can enhance a candidate’s perception.
- Certification badges – Professional certifications (PMP, CPA, etc) validate hard skills and expertise. Niche or trending tech certs may also catch a hiring manager’s eye.
- Organization badges – Current companies and brand name past employers. Highlights companies the hiring manager will recognize.
Additionally, badges earned for completed LinkedIn Learning courses may showcase soft skills development for roles where that is valued.
Ultimately, appropriate and relevant badges aligned with the target job show that the candidate has put care into customizing their LinkedIn presence.
Should you complete LinkedIn courses just for the badge?
With over 16,000 courses available through LinkedIn Learning, there are ample opportunities to earn additional badges on LinkedIn. But should you take courses specifically to gain badges, even if the course topic isn’t relevant to your goals?
Potential pros of earning more LinkedIn Learning badges:
- Shows commitment to continuous learning and self-improvement
- Highlights teachable and trainable soft skills like time management, communication, etc
- Adds more embellishments to your profile and resume
Potential cons:
- Time spent on irrelevant courses that could be used for more directly applicable development
- May come across as resume padding if overdone
- Not a significant factor for most recruiters
Overall, if there are LinkedIn Learning courses directly related to bolstering your hard or soft skills for the jobs you want, it can be worth investing the time to complete them and earn an additional badge. But taking random courses solely for extra badges is unlikely to provide much benefit.
How can LinkedIn badges fit into your job search strategy?
Here are some ways to incorporate LinkedIn badges into an overall job search approach:
- Audit your skills. Review current and needed skills for target roles. Get endorsed for gaps through learning and connections.
- Showcase certifications. Add badges for key professional credentials that validate your expertise.
- Sprinkle in select learning. Plug skill gaps with a targeted LinkedIn Learning course here and there.
- Advertise achievements. Include merit and accomplishment badges earned through groups and activities.
- Monitor perceptions. Note which badges elicit reactions and interest from recruiters.
With a strategic approach, LinkedIn badges can be a nice supplement and résumé enhancer. But they are unlikely to drastically sway hiring decisions on their own without the right foundational experience and skills.
Should you pay for LinkedIn Premium to get more profile views and badge visibility?
LinkedIn Premium provides extra visibility and access compared to a free account. Two of the main benefits are more profile views and expanded badge showcasing:
- With a Premium account, you can see the full list of who has viewed your profile recently. This allows reaching out to recruiters and hiring managers who noticed you.
- Premium accounts can display up to 50 badges on their profile, compared to just 15 badges for free accounts. This provides more real estate to showcase badges.
However, Premium costs range from $29.99 to $79.99 per month depending on plan level. Some options to consider before paying for Premium:
- Use LinkedIn’s Open Candidates tool to target companies with roles you’re a match for, and apply directly without needing profile views.
- Prioritize showcasing your 15 most impressive and relevant badges on your profile if you want visibility for recruiters.
- Invest the Premium cost into boosting hard job skills via courses or certifications instead.
Weigh the benefits against the monthly costs to determine if LinkedIn Premium is worthwhile for the amount of badge presence and added visibility it provides.
Conclusion
LinkedIn badges can be a useful addition to showcase skills, learning, and achievements on your profile. They may help catch a recruiter’s attention and provide social proof of capabilities.
But most data indicates that LinkedIn badges have marginal impact alone on hiring outcomes. They should be viewed as helpful complements to supplement a strategic job search process, rather than definitive credentials that will guarantee interviews or offers.
Focus first on developing the right hard and soft skills for roles of interest. Then use relevant LinkedIn badges as visual aids to highlight those abilities alongside the other robust content on your profile. With the right balance, badges can enhance your overall personal branding and career presence on LinkedIn.
Badge Type | Potential Value for Recruiters |
---|---|
Skills | Validates proficiency when aligned with key requirements for the role |
Certifications | Signals technical expertise and commitment to industry |
Courses | Shows soft skills development and dedication to learning |
Organization | Highlights experience at recognizable companies |
Publications | Demonstrates thought leadership and subject matter knowledge |
This table summarizes the potential value different types of LinkedIn badges offer to recruiters evaluating candidate profiles.
Relevant skills, certifications, and organization badges provide the strongest signals about abilities. But all badge categories can help strengthen areas recruiters often prioritize.
Tips for improving the impact of your LinkedIn badges
- Select badges strategically aligned with target roles
- Get endorsements for key skill badges from connections
- Earn certifications in high demand skills like programming or data science
- Publish articles via LinkedIn Pulse to gain thought leadership badges
- Join active professional organizations and promote earned member badges
- Display badges prominently in profile intro and highlights sections
Following these tips can help maximize the visibility and credibility of your LinkedIn badges to recruiters and hiring managers viewing your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most credible LinkedIn badges?
Skills, certifications, course completion, and organization badges tend to be seen as more credible by recruiters, especially when they align directly with the target job requirements.
How many LinkedIn badges should you have?
There is no ideal number of badges. Focus on selectively showcasing your 10-15 most relevant and impactful badges. Having fewer, more strategic badges is better than a large number of random low-value badges.
Can you get LinkedIn badges for free?
Yes, there are many LinkedIn badges, including skill endorsements, organization affiliations, and course completions, that can be earned for free by any LinkedIn member. Premium accounts gain access to more badge visibility but are not required.
Do LinkedIn skill badges help get a job?
LinkedIn skill badges can serve as social proof and credibility indicators for key skills needed for certain jobs. But on their own, they are unlikely to secure a job without the proper underlying experience and qualifications.
Is it worth paying for LinkedIn Premium?
Paying for Premium can provide more profile visibility and expanded badge display options. But focus first on developing the strongest profile content possible and applying for roles directly regardless of badge perceptions. Premium is optional, not essential.
What are LinkedIn publication badges?
LinkedIn members can earn publication badges by authoring long-form posts, articles, and books that are published on LinkedIn via LinkedIn Publishing. This showcases thought leadership and communication abilities.
How do you put badges on LinkedIn?
Most LinkedIn badges are automatically added to profiles once their requirements are fulfilled, such as completing a course or getting endorsed for a skill. Users can then showcase select badges prominently on their profile within the accomplishments or featured sections.
Key Takeaways
- LinkedIn badges can help add credibility but likely won’t drastically influence hiring odds on their own.
- Skills, certifications, and organization badges aligned with the role tend to be most valued.
- Be selective in showcasing your 10-15 most relevant badges.
- Develop the right underlying skills first, then use badges to supplement and highlight abilities.