LinkedIn Premium is a paid subscription service offered by LinkedIn that provides additional features and benefits for candidates looking for jobs. Having a LinkedIn Premium subscription as a job seeker can give you an edge over other applicants during your job search.
What features does LinkedIn Premium offer for job seekers?
Here are some of the key features LinkedIn Premium offers to help candidates in their job search:
- See who’s viewed your profile – With Premium, you can see the names and titles of members who have viewed your profile recently. This allows you to target your networking and outreach efforts.
- Contact info for premium subscribers – Premium members can view the full contact info (phone, email, etc.) of other premium members without needing an introduction.
- InMail messages – Premium includes a number of InMail messages per month which let you directly contact anyone on LinkedIn, even if you’re not connected.
- Expanded search filters – Premium offers more advanced search filters such as location, company size, job function, and more to target your job search.
- Salary data – View salary data for positions to help negotiate job offers and benchmark yourself against the market.
- Premium profile badges – Badges designate you as a Premium subscriber which can add credibility.
- Unlimited profile highlighting – Premium lets you highlight yourself in search results as often as you want.
- Job insights and interview prep – Get insights on skills needed for your target roles and prep for interviews.
- Learning courses – Premium includes unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning courses to build skills.
- Premium support – Get faster customer support response times with Premium.
How does LinkedIn Premium help candidates find jobs?
There are several ways LinkedIn Premium can directly help you find and land jobs as a candidate:
- Targeted job searching – Premium unlocks more filters and options to search current job listings on LinkedIn to find the best roles.
- Discover inside connections – See which of your connections can introduce you to people at companies you want to work for.
- Stand out in applications – Premium badges on your profile signal you’re a serious candidate.
- Build your brand – Premium tools help you create a standout profile and presence on LinkedIn to attract recruiter attention.
- Direct contact with recruiters – Use InMail to directly reach out to recruiters and hiring managers for open roles.
- Interview prep – Get insights into a company’s hiring process and frequently asked interview questions before your interviews.
- Exclusive job listings – Some jobs are only advertised to Premium members to give them first access.
Overall, LinkedIn Premium provides more visibility and exposure for your profile, helps you make critical connections, and gives you an advantage when directly applying for jobs – all of which can significantly boost your chances of getting hired.
What other benefits does LinkedIn Premium offer?
In addition to the direct hiring-related features, LinkedIn Premium offers some other notable benefits:
- No ads – Premium removes all ads from LinkedIn for an uncluttered experience.
- Premium support – Get faster response times and better support from LinkedIn’s customer service when needed.
- Power user features – Other advanced features like seeing profile viewers help optimize your overall LinkedIn use.
- Learning courses – Premium includes unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning for professional development.
- Premium badge status – The Premium subscriber badge can give your profile more credibility and authority.
- Analytics – Premium offers expanded analytics and insights about your profile performance.
How much does LinkedIn Premium cost?
Here are the current LinkedIn Premium pricing options and costs for individual members:
Premium Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
---|---|---|
Premium Career | $29.99/month | $239.88/year (paid monthly) |
Premium Business | $39.99/month | $399.88/year (paid monthly) |
Premium Hiring | $54.99/month | $499.88/year (paid monthly) |
As you can see, purchasing an annual Premium subscription can save you around 20% compared to paying month-to-month. There are also usually special offers available, such as 1 month free.
Is LinkedIn Premium worth it for job seekers?
Whether LinkedIn Premium is worth the investment as a candidate depends on your specific job search needs and how actively you use LinkedIn for networking and applying to jobs. Here are some factors to consider:
- How competitive is your industry? Premium can help stand out in crowded fields.
- Do you need to contact recruiters and hiring managers? InMail messages are very valuable.
- Are you getting views and contacts without Premium? It may not be as necessary.
- How much time will you spend job hunting? More active users get more value.
- Can you afford the cost comfortably? Premium isn’t essential, so consider the budget impact.
- Are you applying to exclusive Premium jobs? Those alone may justify the cost.
- Do you want access to learning courses? These can add skills.
Premium tends to provide the highest value for job seekers who will leverage the key features like InMail, search filters, and interview prep to apply for roles more efficiently. The more active you are on LinkedIn, the more value Premium can potentially offer.
Pros of LinkedIn Premium for job candidates
- Unlocks Premium-only job listings and filters
- Lets you contact more recruiters and hiring managers directly
- Provides insights on resume optimization and interview preparation
- Offers advanced profile analytics to improve visibility
- Removes ads and distractions from the LinkedIn experience
- Grants unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning courses
- Premium badge can establish credibility as a candidate
Cons of LinkedIn Premium for job candidates
- Recurring subscription cost of $29.99+/month
- Some features like job insights may have free alternatives
- Requires actively using Premium features to maximize value
- Not essential – free LinkedIn still helpful for many candidates
- Many core networking features still free with basic account
Tips for getting the most value from LinkedIn Premium
Here are some recommendations to maximize the benefits of LinkedIn Premium as a job seeker:
- Edit your profile to stand out – Make full use of Premium profile optimization tools.
- Set up job search alerts for relevant new openings.
- Proactively connect to recruiters and hiring managers in target companies.
- Use all allotted InMails each month to contact key connections.
- Browse Premium exclusive jobs on a regular basis.
- Review relevant LinkedIn Learning courses to build skills.
- Research companies and roles to create targeted interview prep guides.
- Prominently display your Premium subscriber badge on your profile.
- Check your analytics regularly and aim to boost key metrics.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Premium offers some valuable features and perks for candidates focused on making the most of LinkedIn for their job search. The ability to directly contact employers, unlock exclusive listings, and get interview insights can give serious job seekers an advantage. However, Premium is not required to find success on LinkedIn or land a job. Candidates need to assess if the benefits are worth the monthly/annual cost based on how extensively they will use Premium’s capabilities.