# How Does LinkedIn Work I Step-by-Step Guide I Capterra | Capterra > LinkedIn is a hub for hiring, networking, sharing content, and strengthening (or developing) professional contacts. Learn how LinkedIn works and what its benefits are in this guide. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-does-linkedin-work --- Social Media MarketingMarketing # How Does LinkedIn Work? By Gary Froniewski Gary Froniewski Gary Froniewski is a Content Writer at Capterra, covering all things digital marketing, with a focus on emerging trends in experiential marketing. A recipien... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/gfroniewski/) and Capterra Capterra Capterra is the #1 destination for organizations to find the right software, so they can save time, increase productivity and accelerate growth. [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/capterra/) Published December 20, 2021 5 min read Table of Contents - [Who uses LinkedIn?](#who-uses-linkedin) - [What does a basic LinkedIn profile look like?](#what-does-a-basic-linkedin-profile-look-like) - [LinkedIn Free vs. LinkedIn Premium](#linkedin-free-vs-linkedin-premium) ## Tap into the world’s largest network of professionals with LinkedIn. Social media platform LinkedIn launched in 2003 and now has more than [800 million users](https://about.linkedin.com/) across almost 200 countries. Similar to Facebook, LinkedIn is a social network that allows users to create a personal profile. Users then connect to other users, companies, and organizations. LinkedIn can be a great way to develop or strengthen connections in your industry, or a way to branch into another one. In this article, you will learn the following: - [Who uses LinkedIn?](#post-77876-_wf3ldtyys2wc) - [What are LinkedIn’s major functions and features?](#post-77876-_ioifqtsffw2e) - [What does a basic LinkedIn profile look like?](#post-77876-_v87xk7km0fy8) ## Who uses LinkedIn? LinkedIn focuses on connecting users to other users (and users to companies). It also focuses on providing users with up-to-date information regarding their industries. From students and interns to CEOs of global companies, the site offers the ability to connect with other professionals through direct messaging and content sharing. Users connect on LinkedIn for many reasons, including: - **Hiring**. Users can post resumes that are visible to the public; recruiters and companies sometimes use LinkedIn to find new employees. - **Connecting**. If you add your employer to your profile, LinkedIn connects you to colleagues. You can also connect with users outside of your organization. - **Marketing**. Marketing yourself or your business with LinkedIn. LinkedIn offers paid promotions to improve your organization’s reach, as well as a paid subscription for personal accounts, which allows users to have control over certain features (such as account privacy, and seeing who viewed your profile). - **Learning**. LinkedIn launched a learning service called [LinkedIn Learning](https://www.linkedin.com/learning/subscription/topics?src=go-pa&veh=sem_src.go-pa_c.LLS-C_NAMER_US_T1_EN-US_SEM_SEM_GoogleAds_NA_All_NA_NA_Core_NA_LIL-HeadTerm-MKAG_Brand_Exact_pkw.linkedin%20learning_pmt.e_pcrid.343926466304_pdv.c_plc._trgid.kwd-47311766595_net.g_learning&trk=sem_src.go-pa_c.LLS-C_NAMER_US_T1_EN-US_SEM_SEM_GoogleAds_NA_All_NA_NA_Core_NA_LIL-HeadTerm-MKAG_Brand_Exact_pkw.linkedin%20learning_pmt.e_pcrid.343926466304_pdv.c_plc._trgid.kwd-47311766595_net.g_learning&mcid=6841886150127296513&cname=&camid=664286762&asid=37446315521&targetid=kwd-47311766595&crid=343926466304&placement=&dev=c&ends=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhf2MBhDNARIsAKXU5GTvzsHZguRF6fl3f2rNLcnJiR95b_pBTcxBSqbQG0_BHdawZOW01k8aAtCOEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds), which is a subscription-based online learning platform offering more than 16,000 courses in a variety of subjects. Students receive a certificate of completion for their course, which is focused on professional skills such as visualizing Excel data or learning basic code for software. _LinkedIn’s homepage on your personal profile includes multiple sections for sponsored and unsponsored content (Note: All source images from the writer’s LinkedIn profile)._ ## What are LinkedIn’s major functions and features? Most accounts use LinkedIn’s features to do the following: - **Publish posts**. Share your thoughts, links, news articles, and photos or videos on your profile. - **Like and comment**. Respond to other posts or to comments on your posts to keep the conversation going. - **Connect with accounts**. If your profile is private, this is the only way they can see your posts. (Your posts will appear on their newsfeed.) - **Direct** **message**. Communicate directly with followers, or send one direct message along with a follow request to an account you are not connected to. - **Find** **colleagues**. Add your education and work details to your profile, and LinkedIn will connect you to fellow colleagues and alumni. - **Read** **industry** **news**. LinkedIn provides a “LinkedIn News” section tailored to your profile and interests. - **Join** **groups**. Network with others by joining groups with similar interests or in similar industries. - **Hiring**. Add your resume to your profile to help companies and recruiters learn more about you. If you are looking to hire, browse resumes and find the perfect candidate. - **Promote** **your** **business**. Keep followers up to date on your business by creating a business page and posting frequently. _From the homepage of your profile, you can publish a post that includes photos or video, create an event, or write an article for your followers to read._ ## What does a basic LinkedIn profile look like? At the top of your LinkedIn profile is the main menu with the following icons: - Home (click this to access your newsfeed.) - My Network (see your connections and groups, your requests to connect, and the “people you may know” feature.) - Jobs (browse jobs and access job search resources, such as interview preparation tips.) - Messaging (access your direct messages.) - Notifications (see who reacted to your posts.) - “Me” (view your profile and account settings.) _The menu of your homepage offers access to your network, job searchers, direct messaging, your notifications, your profile, and account settings._ Your LinkedIn profile will have two main pages: your profile page (which followers see) and your newsfeed (which contains posts from your connections and groups). * * * Related reading   * * * - [How to Get Verified on Instagram (Blue Check Mark)](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-to-get-verified-on-instagram/) - [How To Create a Facebook Business Page](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-to-create-a-facebook-business-page/) - [How to Sell on Pinterest](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-to-sell-on-pinterest/) * * * ### LinkedIn profile page Your LinkedIn profile page shows your public profile information as well as your private dashboard. _You can add your profile photo and a cover photo to your profile. From your profile, you have options to edit your profile’s content such as your work history and education._ Your public-facing profile displays the following: - An “About me” section - Your image and a cover photo - Work experience, skills, and education - What services you are open to (finding a new job, offering services, hiring) _Click “Open to” on your profile to select what you’re interested in: finding a new job, providing services (in order to find new clients), or hiring._ You can customize which of these you’d like to display, and if this information is available to just your connections or to the public. Your dashboard displays the following: - How many people viewed your profile and posts - Your network - Salary insights - Your saved items (such as interesting articles and research) _Scroll down on your profile page to see your dashboard. Your dashboard provides information regarding your profile views, your network, your position’s salary insights, and more._ ## LinkedIn Free vs. LinkedIn Premium A basic profile on LinkedIn is free for individuals and organizations. However, free accounts do not allow access to all of LinkedIn’s features. LinkedIn offers four Premium paid account options for individuals, recruiters, and businesses. Each paid subscription offers additional marketing, recruitment, sales, and learning features (such as additional analytics and mass email campaigns for business accounts, and the ability for individuals to see exactly which accounts had viewed their profile.) Users need not subscribe to Premium to enjoy most of LinkedIn’s basic features, but may need to take advantage of these accounts to reach their professional goals. Utilizing recruiting management software for hiring Now that you’ve learned how to use LinkedIn, explore other [recruitment management software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/recruiting-software-comparison/) options on our website. Recruitment management software streamlines the hiring process as well as other human resources services such as payroll and workforce management. Let Software Advice help you find the best software for your company. * * * ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Authors [### Gary Froniewski](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/gfroniewski/) Gary Froniewski is a Content Writer at Capterra, covering all things digital marketing, with a focus on emerging trends in experiential marketing. A recipient of multiple AMD Spotlight Awards for flagship product launch campaigns, he has a wealth of experience creating compelling copy to support Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike. In his spare time he loves to enjoy food experiences, play tennis and disc golf, and explore nature in his home base of Austin, TX. 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