LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, with over 722 million users as of April 2021. With its huge user base of active job seekers and extensive database of company profiles, LinkedIn has become one of the most popular places for companies to post job openings and source qualified candidates. However, just because a platform is popular does not necessarily mean it is the most effective option. When deciding where to post a job opening, there are several key factors employers should consider regarding LinkedIn to determine if it is the right choice for their needs.
What are the benefits of posting jobs on LinkedIn?
There are several advantages that make LinkedIn an appealing place for employers to post job openings:
Access to a large pool of active and passive job seekers
With over 722 million users, LinkedIn provides access to one of the largest pools of potential job candidates available. According to LinkedIn, there are over 40 million active job seekers on the platform at any given time. In addition, many more passive candidates can be reached who may not be actively job searching but could be enticed by the right opportunity. This vast reach gives employers a better chance of connecting with qualified applicants.
Targeted advertising capabilities
LinkedIn allows employers to target their job ads based on location, education, skills, job function, industry, and other criteria. This increases the likelihood of the job posting being seen by qualified, relevant candidates. Employers can further target their ads based on member interests, groups, and other profile data for even more specific targeting.
Built-in screening tools
LinkedIn profiles provide a wealth of information employers can screen candidates against before ever contacting someone. Education, skills, certifications, recommendations, and work samples can all be viewed on a candidate’s profile. This allows employers to vet applicants efficiently compared to other job boards.
Analytics on job posting performance
LinkedIn provides data on the number of clicks, applies, shares, and other engagement with each job posting. Employers can use this data to optimize their job listings and improve their hiring strategy over time. This level of analytical insight is not available on many other platforms.
Ability to build talent pipelines and brand awareness
Beyond a single job posting, LinkedIn allows employers to build an ongoing talent pipeline by connecting with prospective candidates, following up recruiting efforts, and growing employer brand awareness within the large LinkedIn community. This long-term approach can yield future candidates even after a current opening is filled.
What are the potential drawbacks of posting jobs on LinkedIn?
While LinkedIn has several strengths as a job posting platform, there are also some limitations employers should be aware of:
High competition from other employers
With so many companies posting jobs and trying to connect with candidates on LinkedIn, it can be very competitive to get your job postings noticed. According to LinkedIn, there are over 10 million active job postings at any given time. This clutter means your job posts can quickly get buried and overlooked.
Cost for LinkedIn talent and job products
While basic LinkedIn accounts are free, to really maximize LinkedIn for recruiting, employers need to invest in their talent and job products. Premium job posts start at $199 per posting, while access to recruiting tools and pipeline building features have monthly subscription fees. This can get expensive, especially for smaller companies posting multiple openings.
Limited screening capabilities
While LinkedIn provides more screening capabilities than many platforms, users still have control over what they include on their profile. Important details like reasons for leaving positions are often left out. Verifying skills and abilities listed is also still difficult without an interview. So LinkedIn alone may not provide enough candidate information.
Passive candidates may not respond
One appeal of LinkedIn is the ability to engage passive candidates not actively job seeking. However, many of these users have their notifications and preferences set to avoid recruitment contacts. Additionally, passive prospects often need to be warmly nurtured over time. So focusing solely on passive candidates is unlikely to yield quality applicants.
Ongoing time investment needed
Posting a job and waiting for applicants is rarely effective on LinkedIn. To generate results, employers need to invest time building their company presence, connecting with prospects, engaging their network for referrals, and following up with candidates. This level of investment may not fit with every company’s resources and needs.
Tips for posting effective job listings on LinkedIn
To maximize your chances of success posting jobs on LinkedIn, here are some best practices to follow:
Optimize job post copy
Treat your job post copy as you would website content. Use relevant keywords, highlight incentives and benefits, and use formatting like bullet points to make it easily scannable. This will help candidates quickly grasp the key details and entice quality applicants.
Leverage premium job features
Invest in premium job upgrades like highlighted posts, extended posting duration, and screening questions. These features help your post stand out and provide better candidate vetting.
Target posts to reach relevant candidates
Use LinkedIn’s targeting options to target your post to the right members based on their profile data. Location, education, skills, job function, and other filters can improve targeting.
Promote openings through multiple channels
In addition to the job post itself, share openings with employee networks, relevant LinkedIn groups, sponsored content, targeted messages, and other channels. Use the right messaging for each channel.
Craft a strong employer brand presence
Promote your employer brand by showcasing culture, values, and employee generated content. A strong company presence will attract more candidates to your openings. Maintain an active presence by regularly posting content.
Build candidate pipelines through outreach
Identify and connect with passive prospects that would be a good fit. Build relationships over time to nurture these prospects before you have an opening to fill.
Should you use LinkedIn to post job openings?
The decision on whether LinkedIn is the right place to post a job opening will depend on several factors:
Type of job
LinkedIn works best for professional roles, office jobs, skilled labor, and other occupations typically held by LinkedIn members. It may not be as effective for entry level, retail, food service, or gig jobs.
Type of company/brand
Large companies and recognizable employer brands tend to attract more interest on LinkedIn compared to lesser known small businesses or startups.
Recruitment resources
Companies that have the time and budget to invest in building out their LinkedIn presence and recruitment capabilities will get the most value. Those with limited resources may be better served by other options.
Existing presence on LinkedIn
Employers who already actively use LinkedIn for networking and content are better positioned to leverage it for job postings compared to companies with little existing presence.
Overall hiring needs
For roles that need to be filled quickly by casting a wide net, LinkedIn may deliver candidates faster than niche platforms. But for focused roles better served by targeting a narrow candidate pool, other options may excel.
Conclusions
Here is a summary of the key pros and cons to weigh when evaluating using LinkedIn job postings:
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In summary, LinkedIn can be a very effective job posting platform for companies targeting professional roles, looking to cast a wide net, wanting to build their employer brand, and willing to devote resources to their LinkedIn presence and recruiting strategy. With 722 million members, huge reach, and advanced targeting capabilities, LinkedIn should be strongly considered alongside niche platforms and job boards during the hiring process. But employers need to go in with realistic expectations around the level of investment required. Just posting a job and waiting for applicants is unlikely to produce robust results. With the right approach and resources allocated, LinkedIn can source quality candidates and even build a talent pipeline for future hiring. But for companies unable to dedicate those resources, it may not prove to be the most cost effective option and other platforms may be preferable.