LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 800 million members. As such, it has become an invaluable tool for companies looking to recruit top talent. One of the main ways recruiters use LinkedIn is by posting job listings directly on the platform. This allows them to reach LinkedIn members who may be passive candidates open to new opportunities.
LinkedIn offers several options when it comes to posting jobs. The main ones are:
- LinkedIn free account
- LinkedIn Premium Career account
- LinkedIn Premium Business account
But do you need a Premium account to post a job on LinkedIn? Or can you do it with just a free account? Let’s take a closer look at what each type of account offers when it comes to posting job listings.
Posting Jobs with a Free LinkedIn Account
The good news is – you do not need a Premium account to post a job on LinkedIn. Any member can post open job positions on their profile using a free account.
Here are the key things to know about posting jobs with a free LinkedIn account:
- You are limited to posting one job at a time. Each job post expires after 30 days.
- Job posts are only visible to your network connections, groups, and followers. They will not appear in LinkedIn’s job search results.
- You have limited options for targeting relevant candidates.
- There are no enhanced application or tracking features.
- You cannot promote the job post with sponsored ads.
The main benefit of posting jobs for free is that it allows you to easily tap into your existing network and followers to source candidates. However, the visibility and reach will be quite limited compared to Premium options.
Posting Jobs with LinkedIn Premium Career
LinkedIn Premium Career is LinkedIn’s mid-tier paid account for individual users. One of the main benefits it offers is the ability to post multiple open job positions at a time. Here are some key perks:
- Post up to 100 open jobs at a time.
- Jobs appear in LinkedIn’s job search results for greater visibility.
- View anonymized candidate demographic data like experience and education.
- Applicants are organized into a dashboard for easier tracking.
- Boost job posts through Sponsored Jobs ads.
Premium Career accounts start at $29.99 per month. This plan gives you more enhanced tools for posting and managing job listings compared to a free account. The boosted visibility also helps attract more outside candidates beyond your network.
Posting Jobs with LinkedIn Premium Business
LinkedIn Premium Business accounts offer the most powerful options for recruiters and hiring managers to post jobs and connect with qualified candidates.
Here are some of the key recruiting features you get with Premium Business:
- Post an unlimited number of jobs.
- Target job posts using precise criteria like location, education, skills, etc.
- See how well your jobs match candidate preferences.
- Get real-time profile alerts for targeted matching candidates.
- Unlimited Sponsored Jobs ads to boost visibility.
- Filter and manage candidates in a centralized dashboard.
- Unlock complete analytics on job performance.
Premium Business starts at $79.99 per month per user. It offers recruiters the most robust toolset for attracting and engaging relevant candidates at scale.
Comparing the Options
Here is a comparison of the key differences between the three levels of LinkedIn accounts when it comes to posting job listings:
Features | Free Account | Premium Career | Premium Business |
---|---|---|---|
Maximum Open Jobs | 1 | 100 | Unlimited |
Job Visibility | Connections only | Appears in search results | Advanced targeting options |
Candidate Management | None | Applicant dashboard | Robust analytics & filters |
Sponsored Jobs Ads | Unavailable | Available | Unlimited |
As you can see, Premium Business clearly provides the most powerful toolkit. But Premium Career also offers helpful upgrades from a free account when it comes to reach and candidate tracking.
Do You Really Need Premium to Post Jobs?
So do you absolutely need a Premium LinkedIn account to effectively post jobs? Not necessarily.
Here are a few key points to consider:
- Free accounts are fine for limited postings targeted to your network.
- Premium Career offers nice upgrades like boosted reach and tracking.
- Premium Business is ideal for heavy recruiters and hiring managers.
- The number of jobs you need to post is the key factor.
- Both free and Premium accounts can yield quality candidates.
- Think about which features suit your hiring needs.
In summary, a free account allows you to post jobs on LinkedIn at no cost. But Premium options provide more visibility, applications tools, and analytics. Evaluate whether those premium perks are worthwhile for your recruiting goals or if a free account gets the job done.
Tips for Posting Jobs on LinkedIn
Here are some tips to get the most out of posting jobs on LinkedIn, regardless of which account you use:
- Use a catchy, descriptive title that will grab attention.
- Highlight the salary, benefits, work-life balance, and other perks.
- Share a bit about your company culture to stand out.
- List the required and preferred qualifications for strong candidates.
- Use keywords tailored to the target role and industry.
- Provide clear application instructions.
- Supplement with Sponsored Jobs ads if budget allows.
- Engage candidates who express interest.
- Track application volume and quality over time.
Conclusion
Posting jobs directly on LinkedIn can be a smart recruitment strategy to connect with both active and passive job seekers. While Premium accounts offer helpful upgrades, a free account still allows you to tap into your network to source candidates.
Focus on crafting compelling listings, targeting relevant members, and promoting openings to attract applicants. With over 660 million members, LinkedIn provides a vast audience of professionals open to new roles. Take advantage by sharing openings tailored to what top talent seeks.
Consult the options covered here to decide which level of LinkedIn account makes the most sense for your hiring needs and budget. With the right approach, you can use LinkedIn Jobs to find qualified candidates and build up your employer brand.