Yes, creating a LinkedIn page is completely free. LinkedIn offers a basic profile that can be set up at no cost. This allows you to create an online resume, connect with other professionals, join groups, follow companies, and more. While LinkedIn does offer premium paid subscriptions with additional features, a basic profile with core functionality is available for free.
What does a free LinkedIn account include?
A free LinkedIn account allows you to:
- Create a professional profile with your work history, education, skills, and more
- Connect with other LinkedIn members
- Join groups based on your interests or industry
- Follow companies to receive updates on their products and job openings
- Search and apply for jobs
- View full profiles of other members
- Receive InMail messages
- See who has viewed your profile
With a basic LinkedIn account, you have access to the core social networking and career-building features of the platform. It serves as your professional online presence and a way to expand your connections and opportunities.
What features require a paid subscription?
While a free account provides ample functionality, LinkedIn does reserve some advanced features for its paid memberships. With a premium subscription, you can:
- Send InMail messages to anyone (free members can only reply)
- See full profiles of everyone who has viewed yours
- Get insights on who is visiting and engaging with your profile
- Take online courses through LinkedIn Learning
- Use additional filters when searching for jobs
- Read news and articles normally locked for subscribers
LinkedIn offers three payment tiers: Premium Career, Premium Business, and Sales Navigator. They range in price from $29.99 to $79.99 per month. Each level builds on the free account and previous tiers, adding more capabilities.
How do I create my free LinkedIn account?
Setting up a LinkedIn profile is simple and straightforward. Just follow these steps:
- Go to www.linkedin.com and click “Join now”
- Enter your first name, last name, and email address and click “Continue”
- Create a password for your account
- Select if you want to join based on an email or phone number
- Enter your location and job title
- Opt-in or out of receiving emails from LinkedIn
- Agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement and Privacy Policy
- Click “Join LinkedIn” to complete your profile setup
Once your basic account is created, you can start adding details like your work history, education, skills, interests, and more. LinkedIn will guide you through sections to fill out to create a robust profile. You can always come back later to keep adding and updating information too.
Can I use LinkedIn without creating an account?
LinkedIn does offer some limited functionality for non-members. Without registering for an account, you can:
- View other people’s profiles that are set to public
- See some content linked or shared by connections
- Access LinkedIn’s general business articles and blog posts
- Search for jobs that have been posted publicly
- See company pages and employee stats
However, you won’t be able to connect with anyone, communicate, join groups, or unlock most of LinkedIn’s features. Creating an account is necessary to fully access LinkedIn’s networking capabilities and opportunities.
Can I cancel or delete my LinkedIn account?
Yes, you can deactivate or permanently delete your LinkedIn account if you no longer wish to use it. To deactivate:
- Click on the “Me” icon in the top navigation bar
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu
- Click on “Account preferences” in the left sidebar
- Scroll down and click “Deactivate your account”
- Select a reason for deactivating and continue
- Enter your password to confirm account deactivation
Deactivating temporarily hides your profile and removes you from recommendations and search results. You can reactivate your account at any time. To permanently delete your account:
- Follow the deactivate steps but select “Close your account” instead
- Select the option for “Delete my account permanently”
- Enter your password and click “Close account”
Once your account is permanently deleted, your profile and all data will be removed from LinkedIn’s systems within 24 hours.
Conclusion
In summary, creating a basic LinkedIn profile is completely free and provides access to core networking and career-building features. Paid subscriptions unlock additional capabilities but are optional. Setting up a free account is simple and straightforward – all you need is an email address. With a LinkedIn presence, you can expand your professional connections, search for opportunities, and showcase your background.
