Like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and a dozen other ads, LinkedIn is a social network. And like social networks, it belongs to a great generation company: Microsoft.
But unlike most social networks, LinkedIn is a professional networking site, designed to help people make business connections, share their experiences 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’s software, such as Microsoft Office 365, the suite of productivity programs.
Like many tech companies, LinkedIn has had its ups and downs in the post-pandemic years. LinkedIn Premium earned $1.7 billion from subscribers in 2023, executives revealed on a Microsoft earnings call. However, the job cuts that have plagued the tech industry didn’t spare the networking site; LinkedIn laid off hundreds of employees in 2023 and 2024.
But despite financial turbulence at the company, LinkedIn is still a valuable networking site used by millions of people and companies all over the world. Here’s what you need to know about using 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 twist on concepts you know on Facebook. Your profile, for example, becomes a CV, complete with your experience, achievements, recommendations and peer references.
The site also has things you can’t possibly find anywhere else, such as a comprehensive professional dashboard, where you can search and apply for jobs.
Many employment services are now compatible with LinkedIn — when applying for a position, you may be able to share your LinkedIn profile, which sometimes means 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 around the site.
It deserves to be transparent that LinkedIn is a tool you can use for your professional networking and task searching 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 people use LinkedIn to enhance their professional reputation by making posts in the 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-based edition of LinkedIn that adds a number of additional features, such as online career progression courses, data about other people who view your profile, and the ability to instant message anyone on LinkedIn, even if you’re not. They are components of your network.
LinkedIn Premium offers 4 types of plans with other prices, depending on your needs. Premium Career is for professionals and task seekers to enhance their careers, while Premium Business, Sales Navigator and Recruiter Lite are for employers, companies or sales professionals.
The most popular plan, LinkedIn Premium Career, costs $39. 99 for one month, or you can purchase an annual plan for $239. 88. You can also try a one-month free trial.
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