Linkedin is, far and away, the most advantageous social networking tool available to job seekers and business professionals today,” according to Forbes*.
You can not just ignore Linkedin if you are a serious career-oriented professional.
Linkedin haters and skeptics can always differ with this opinion. They always have the option of deleting the Linkedin profile and stay disconnected from the hustle and bustle of online LinkedIn professional networking.
I am using LinkedIn for professional networking since 2007.
Linkedin has provided me consistent new leads and business.
I have almost stopped making cold calls. I connect with people on LinkedIn and then make calls. My interaction with new business leads is more fruitful than a random cold call that was the order of the day just a few years back.
Linkedin has made many changes, added new useful features, and removed some features over the period.
It would not be an exaggeration to state that Linkedin can now give extraordinary results regarding getting a new business or job only if you are a Premium subscriber.
There are 332 million people on LinkedIn in 2015, but only 15.1% of total users had premium subscriptions as of May 2014. 2. This data indicates that only 15.1% (approx) Linkedin users can get value from their LinkedIn profile.
Three Important Benefits of any Linkedin Premium plan
- Advanced Search
- Who viewed my profile
- Linkedin inMails
Smart Linkedin users make the best use of these features to either to generate leads or source candidates.
How?
Linkedin advanced search is the most valuable tool to identify the right candidates or business leads. You can never make the best use of LinkedIn without having access to Linkedin advanced search. Free subscription of Linkedin limits your search to few profiles, and you have to wait for 30 days to get access to advanced search.
You can either search hiring managers or decision makers using advanced search or view their profiles.
Who viewed your profile: This is another important feature of LinkedIn. You get to know the people who viewed your profile.
Linkedin’s basic/free subscription does not show more than 5-6 profiles.
You have a very strong opportunity to connect with the people who viewed your profile. It can be a hiring manager or a customer, and the customer who views your profile is more flexible and willing to talk to you.
Linkedin inMails: You already know that inMails are useful to mail the person who is not the direct connection of you on Linkedin.
Linkedin has made changes in the way inMails are shown in the inbox and person is almost pushed to respond to you either ‘Yes’ or ‘No.
This new improvement in display of inMail helps you to get inMail credit back even if the person says ‘No’ and you can use the credit to contact another person.
You can efficiently send inMails to 25 candidates or leads on a monthly credit of 15 inMails.
Finally, it is a matter of one positive response in a month to get a job or business deal. Your investment of a few dollars on Linkedin paid subscription has a big chance of giving you a job that provides you with a handsome raise in salary or a deal worth of thousands of dollars.
You do not have a much chance to get value out of your Linkedin profile on free subscription.
Sources:
Wikipedia
http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/120214/how-does-linkedin-lnkd-make-money.asp)
