In today’s competitive job market, job seekers are looking for any edge they can get to stand out from the crowd. One tool that is growing in popularity is LinkedIn Premium, which offers expanded features beyond the free version of LinkedIn. But does paying for a premium LinkedIn subscription actually help you get hired faster? Let’s take an in-depth look at the key benefits of LinkedIn Premium for job seekers and whether it’s worth the investment.
What is LinkedIn Premium?
LinkedIn Premium is the paid version of the LinkedIn social media platform that is geared specifically for business and career networking. There are three tiers of LinkedIn Premium subscriptions: Career, Business, and Sales Navigator. The Career subscription is the most relevant for job seekers.
LinkedIn Premium Career offers these key features not available with the free version:
- See who viewed your profile
- Advanced profile searches
- Unlimited InMail messages
- Know when your message is read
- Take online courses
- Expanded network with Premium only groups
The features aim to help subscribers stand out more, connect with more hiring managers and recruiters, and get noticed and contacted faster for job opportunities.
Does LinkedIn Premium Get You Hired Faster?
There are some key ways that LinkedIn Premium can potentially accelerate your job search and get you hired faster compared to only using the free version:
Expanded reach and visibility
One major benefit of LinkedIn Premium is that it increases your visibility and exposure to more hiring managers and recruiters. Premium subscribers can message recruiters directly even without being connected to them, which gets your resume and profile directly in front of more people. You also gain access to exclusive Premium online groups and events to further expand your network.
Insights into who viewed your profile
LinkedIn Premium lets you see exactly who has viewed your profile recently. This insight enables you to focus your outreach and networking on those companies and people that have already shown an interest. You can tailor your messages and follow up more effectively with your engaged viewers to turn profile views into job interviews.
Advanced profile searches
Premium also unlocks advanced profile searches so you can laser target your outreach to specific companies, job titles, locations and other filters. You can create customized lists of profiles matching your ideal job criteria and methodically work through your outreach.
Application insights
Some companies post jobs through LinkedIn, which allows Premium users to see valuable insights on their job applications. You can see how you compare to other candidates and get notified when the company views your application. This helps you focus your efforts on hot lead job postings.
Customized recommendations
LinkedIn uses your profile, activity and interests to deliver highly tailored job recommendations with Premium. This automated matching between you and relevant opportunities can accelerate your search.
Built-in courses
Premium includes access to a library of over 15,000 online courses to boost your skills in areas like software, design, marketing and more. Learning new in-demand skills can make you a stronger candidate and help you stand out from the competition.
Case Study – Does LinkedIn Premium Work?
Peter is a marketing professional who was laid off from his job due to downsizing. He decided to invest in a 1 year LinkedIn Premium subscription to accelerate his job search. Here’s a look at key ways Premium helped Peter land a new job:
Wider networking reach
Peter was able to join several Premium marketing groups and connect with over 500 new professionals in his target field through messaging and InMail.
Focused outreach
By seeing who viewed his profile, Peter could directly follow up with relevant interest from hiring companies.
Tracked applications
Peter applied to 15 jobs through LinkedIn and could see his application progress and how he compared to others.
Skill building
Peter took Premium courses on Facebook advertising and Google Analytics to update his skills.
Results
Within 5 months of using Premium, Peter secured 3 job interviews and received 2 job offers. He accepted a new Director of Marketing position with a Fortune 500 company, a role he likely wouldn’t have secured as quickly without LinkedIn Premium.
Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It for Job Seekers?
At the end of the day, does paying for LinkedIn Premium actually get you hired faster and is it worth the investment? Here is a breakdown of the pros and cons for job seekers considering Premium:
Pros
- Expanded networking reach
- InMail messaging and profile views
- Advanced profile searches
- Application tracking
- Customized recommendations
- Skills training courses
Cons
- Monthly or yearly cost
- Free version may be sufficient
- Requires active optimization for best results
Overall, the expanded capabilities and visibility of LinkedIn Premium can accelerate your job search if you fully utilize the tools. But you still need to actively apply and follow up for it to pay off. The monthly and yearly costs can add up, so analyze if the free features may meet your needs.
Tips to Maximize Your LinkedIn Premium
If you do opt to pay for LinkedIn Premium, here are some tips to get the most out of it for your job search:
- Fully optimize your profile – have a professional profile photo and headline, detailed experience section, customized URL, skills, recommendations.
- Proactively network and message – don’t rely on passive visibility, actively reach out.
- Focus on warm leads – Prioritize following up with those who viewed you.
- Apply to LinkedIn jobs – Track your status compared to others.
- Take courses – Build in-demand hard and soft skills.
- Monitor your metrics – Page views, messages, course progress, jobs applied to.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Premium offers powerful tools to take your job search to the next level. However, simply having a Premium account will not get you a job on its own – you need to proactively utilize all of its capabilities for maximum benefit.
Evaluate whether the expanded features align with your specific job search needs and budget. If you strategically use all that LinkedIn Premium has to offer, it can provide you with an undeniable edge and accelerate your chances of getting hired faster.