LinkedIn and Indeed are two of the most popular online job and recruitment platforms, used by both job seekers and employers. At first glance, they may seem quite similar – they both allow users to post resumes/profiles, search for jobs, and connect with other professionals. However, there are some key differences between the two platforms.
Purpose and Focus
The core purpose and focus of each platform is different:
- LinkedIn is primarily a professional networking platform. The focus is on establishing professional connections and profiles, not necessarily direct job searching or hiring.
- Indeed is purely a job and recruiting site. The focus is entirely on matching job seekers with available jobs posted by employers.
So in summary:
- LinkedIn = Networking and profiles
- Indeed = Job searching and hiring
User Base
Due to the different focuses, each platform tends to attract slightly different user bases:
- LinkedIn users are primarily professional workers looking to network, showcase their resume, connect with others in their industry, and advance their careers.
- Indeed users are mainly active job seekers who want access to job postings and tools to find and apply for open positions.
Of course there is some overlap – both sites attract both employers and job seekers. But the ‘typical’ user base reflects the core functionality.
Job Postings
Both LinkedIn and Indeed provide a job board where employers can post open positions. However, there are differences in the job boards:
- LinkedIn job postings tend to be more professional roles – office jobs, management, executive positions, etc.
- Indeed has listings for nearly any type of job – entry level, hourly, skilled trades, service industry, healthcare, etc.
In terms of number of listings, Indeed tends to have significantly more job postings than LinkedIn. As of October 2022, Indeed has over 24 million job postings compared to LinkedIn’s 15 million.
Profiles
Both platforms allow users to create a profile to represent themselves:
- LinkedIn profiles are very resume-like and detail a user’s work history, education, skills, accomplishments, recommendations, etc.
- Indeed profiles are simpler – mainly just a way to store resumes, cover letters, portfolio samples, etc. to apply for jobs.
LinkedIn profiles are intended to be more of a comprehensive professional portrait of a user. Indeed profiles are mainly just to facilitate the job application process.
Algorithms
How each platform delivers listings and suggestions to users also differs:
- LinkedIn uses algorithms like skills matching to recommend jobs to users – jobs that align with the skills on a user’s profile.
- Indeed uses technology that analyzes job titles and keywords to understand positings and match candidates.
So LinkedIn takes more of a skills-centric approach, while Indeed relies more on data related directly to the job postings.
Networking and Connections
The way each platform facilitates networking is also different:
- LinkedIn allows users to connect with other professionals and organizations to build out a network.
- Indeed has minimal networking features – users can follow companies to get job updates but no way to connect with other users.
Networking and professional connections are a core part of LinkedIn. Indeed focuses solely on job searching.
Cost
For individual users, both platforms offer free access to core features, with premium tiers available for expanded options:
- LinkedIn is free to create a profile, search some (but not all) jobs, make limited connections, etc.
- Indeed is 100% free for job seekers to use all main functionality – uploading a resume, searching all listings, setting up alerts, applying to jobs, etc.
For employers and recruiters, LinkedIn offers more robust paid packages with additional tools for finding and engaging talent. Indeed also has paid tiers that unlock improved options for managing applicants.
User Engagement
In general, LinkedIn fosters more ongoing user engagement. Users tend to check back regularly to update their profiles, connect with new people, share content, etc. Indeed sees more transactional usage – users visiting specifically when they are looking for a new job.
Conclusion
In summary, while LinkedIn and Indeed both facilitate job searching and hiring, they have distinct differences:
- LinkedIn is focused on networking and professional profiles.
- Indeed is exclusively focused on job matching.
- LinkedIn attracts more white collar professionals.
- Indeed caters to all types of active job seekers.
- LinkedIn has fewer but more professional job listings.
- Indeed has a higher volume of all types of job postings.
- LinkedIn uses skills-based algorithms.
- Indeed analyzes job posting keywords.
- LinkedIn allows users to connect and network.
- Indeed has minimal networking functionality.
- LinkedIn has free and paid tiers for users.
- Indeed is 100% free for job seekers.
- LinkedIn sees more regular, ongoing usage.
- Indeed is used more transactionally when searching for a job.
So in summary, while the two platforms have some overlap in purpose, their focuses, feature sets, and target audiences differ significantly.
LinkedIn is better for networking, company research, establishing an professional presence, and finding white collar roles. Indeed is the better choice for quickly searching and applying for a wide variety of active job openings across industries and seniority levels.
Understanding the key differences allows job seekers and employers to determine which platform(s) are most appropriate for their needs.