Like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and a dozen other ads, LinkedIn is a social network. And like social networks, it belongs to a giant company of generation: Microsoft.
But unlike most social networks, LinkedIn is a professional networking site, designed for other people to make professional connections, share reports and resumes, and find jobs.
Microsoft bought LinkedIn in 2016 for $26. 2 billion in cash. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said at the time that the social network would complement Microsoft software such as Microsoft Office 365, the productivity suite.
Like many tech companies, LinkedIn has had ups and downs in the years following the pandemic. LinkedIn Premium gained $1. 7 billion in subscribers in 2023, executives revealed on a Microsoft earnings call. However, the task cuts that have affected the tech industry have not spared the networking site; LinkedIn has laid off many workers in 2023 and 2024.
But despite the company’s monetary turmoil, LinkedIn remains a valuable networking site used by millions of people and companies around the world. Here’s what you want to know about the platform:
Despite its professional focus, LinkedIn is similar to social networking sites like Facebook. It is based on principles such as connecting with friends (or, in the case of LinkedIn, “logging in”), posting updates, sharing and enjoying content, and messaging with other users.
LinkedIn also provides a touch on the concepts you know on Facebook. Your profile, for example, becomes a resume, complete with your experience, achievements, recommendations and peer references.
The site also has things you probably won’t find anywhere else, like a comprehensive career board, where you can search and apply for jobs.
Many job roles now support LinkedIn: When you apply for a job, you can share your LinkedIn profile, meaning you won’t need to painstakingly enter your work experience into a long online form.
If you’re new to LinkedIn, here’s a quick tour of the site.
It deserves to be transparent that LinkedIn is a tool that you can use for your professional networking and task search activities.
Many other people use the site to expand their contacts and locate career opportunities, and the Jobs segment of the site is a useful tool for locating and applying for jobs. There are settings on LinkedIn that allow you to alert recruiters that you’re also actively looking for a job.
Some other people use LinkedIn to gain professional reputation by posting to News Feed and commenting on other people’s posts.
Like most other tech companies in recent years — including Microsoft and its new Copilot tool — LinkedIn has increasingly focused on AI products. LinkedIn has unveiled its own AI-powered writing assistant that can generate personalized suggestions for your profile.
LinkedIn Premium is a subscription version of LinkedIn that adds a number of additional features, such as online professional development classes, insights into who’s viewing your profile, and the ability to instant message anyone on LinkedIn, even if they’re not in your network.
LinkedIn Premium offers four types of plans with different price points, depending on your needs. Premium Career is for professionals and job-seekers looking to further their careers, while Premium Business, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter Lite are for employers, businesses, or sales professionals.
The most popular plan, LinkedIn Premium Career, costs $39.99 for one month, or you can purchase an annual package for $239.88. You can also try a one-month free trial.
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