One of the most widely used sites for professionals trying to network, get work, advance their professions, or expand their enterprises is LinkedIn.
Now, let’s discuss together what LinkedIn Premium has to offer, how much it costs, and if it’s a worthwhile purchase. Let’s go!
What Is LinkedIn Premium?
There are four main Premium plans to choose from:
- Premium Career: For job seekers looking to stand out and access more job-related features.
- Premium Business: For professionals and entrepreneurs wanting to grow their business networks.
- Recruiter Lite: Aimed at recruiters and hiring managers to assist in finding and managing candidates.
Each plan offers different tools depending on your professional goals.
How Much Does LinkedIn Premium Cost?
Here’s a breakdown of the pricing for LinkedIn Premium plans in 2024:
- Premium Career: $39.99/month
- Premium Business: $59.99/month
- Sales Navigator: $99.99/month
- Recruiter Lite: $170.99/month
LinkedIn also offers a free trial for most Premium plans, typically for 30 days. This allows you to test the features before committing to the monthly fee.
Key Benefits of LinkedIn Premium
Premium LinkedIn offers several key benefits across its various plans. Here’s what you get:
- InMail Credits: This can help you reach recruiters, potential business partners, or clients directly.
- Learning Courses: Premium users get access to LinkedIn Learning. Well, what can be better than being a professional of this platform!
- Business and Sales Insights: Premium Business and Sales Navigator plans provide detailed company data and insights, making it easier to understand industry trends and connect with potential leads.
- Recruitment Tools: Recruiter Lite helps hiring managers find top candidates through advanced search filters, and it allows them to manage candidates throughout the hiring process.
Different people might find LinkedIn Premium helpful, depending on their goals. Here’s a breakdown of who could benefit the most:
Who Should Consider LinkedIn Premium?
Different people might find premium LinkedIn helpful, depending on their goals. Here’s a breakdown of who could benefit the most:
Job Seekers
Premium Career is made with job seekers in mind. This strategy might provide you with additional tools to stand out if you’re actively seeking for a new position. With InMail, you can mail recruiters directly and monitor your application score against other candidates, which might help you stand out.
Entrepreneurs and Business Owners
Premium Business offers access to company and industry insights, helping entrepreneurs grow their business. If you need to network with key people in your industry or analyze competitors, this plan could be very useful.
Sales Professionals
Sales Navigator is ideal for people in sales. It provides advanced tools for finding and managing leads, helping sales professionals build relationships and close deals.
Recruiters
Recruiter Lite is perfect for hiring managers who need to find the right candidates quickly. It provides powerful candidate search filters and tools to help manage hiring pipelines, making it easier to identify and track potential hires.
Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It for You?
Well, let’s see!
Business Owners
You also get more opportunities to connect with key people. But if you’re not networking heavily on LinkedIn, the free account may serve your needs without the extra cost.
Sales Professionals
For salespeople, Sales Navigator is worth considering if LinkedIn is a major part of your lead generation strategy. The advanced search tools, lead recommendations, and integration with your CRM make it easier to manage Linkedin sales contacts. But at $99.99/month, it’s a high price if LinkedIn isn’t a big part of your sales efforts.
Recruiters
Recruiter Lite is an extremely useful tool for anyone in HR or recruiting. If you often recruit people on LinkedIn, the sophisticated search filters and applicant tracking capabilities may save you a significant amount of time and work. However, at $170.99 per month, it’s a significant expenditure that’s only worthwhile if you’re actively hiring.
Pros and Cons of LinkedIn Premium
Pros:
- Increased visibility: See who’s viewed your profile and appear more often in searches.
- Direct messaging: InMail allows you to reach out to people who could be helpful to your career or business.
- Job insights: Stand out from the competition by knowing how you compare to other applicants.
- Learning opportunities: LinkedIn Learning helps you build skills without leaving the platform.
- Advanced business and sales tools: Sales Navigator and Premium Business provide deep insights that help entrepreneurs and salespeople grow.
Cons:
- Cost: LinkedIn Premium can be expensive, especially if you’re not using all the features. The free account might be enough for casual users.
- Limited features for some: If you don’t need InMails or extra insights, you may not benefit much from paying for Premium.
- Learning curve: Some plans, like Sales Navigator, offer a lot of tools, which might be overwhelming for beginners.
Alternatives to LinkedIn Premium
If you’re not ready to commit to LinkedIn Premium, there are other ways to enhance your networking and job search efforts:
- Free LinkedIn Account: You can still network, apply for jobs, and build a solid profile without paying for Premium. That’s incredible!
- LinkedIn Groups: Joining groups in your industry can help you connect with others and find job opportunities.
- Online Learning Platforms: well, if you don’t want to use LinkedIn Learning (or are not interested), you can use free or low-cost learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or Khan Academy to build skills.
Conclusion
Does LinkedIn Premium justify its cost, then? The response is based on your career and personal objectives. If you’re looking for a job, managing a company, working in sales, or doing frequent recruitment, LinkedIn Premium provides effective resources to support your success. But if you’re only sometimes networking or casually perusing LinkedIn, the free version can be plenty.
FAQs
Is LinkedIn Premium worth the cost for job seekers?
Yes, if you’re actively searching for a job, LinkedIn Premium Career can help you stand out and reach recruiters directly.
How much does LinkedIn Premium cost?
Pricing ranges from $39.99/month for Premium Career to $170.99/month for Recruiter Lite.
Can I cancel LinkedIn Premium anytime?
Yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time before the next billing cycle to avoid charges.
