Is LinkedIn Premium Worth It for Job Seekers?
LinkedIn Premium Career is marketed heavily to job seekers. Whether it is worth paying for depends on how and where you are searching. Here is an honest assessment.
What LinkedIn Premium Career Adds
InMail credits: The ability to send messages to LinkedIn members who are not your connections. The standard free account does not allow this. InMail is useful for reaching hiring managers, recruiters, or specific contacts you have not yet connected with.
See who viewed your profile: Free accounts can see that their profile was viewed but not by whom (unless they are connected). Premium shows full viewer details for 90 days — useful for identifying which employers or recruiters are already looking at you.
Applicant insights: When you apply to a job on LinkedIn, Premium shows you how your skills and experience compare to other applicants and where you fall in the applicant pool.
LinkedIn Learning: Access to LinkedIn's course library. The value depends on whether the courses are relevant to your development needs.
Featured Applicant status: When you apply via LinkedIn, Premium members are displayed prominently to hiring managers in some cases.
When Premium Is Likely Worth It
- You are using LinkedIn heavily as a primary search channel
- You want to send InMail to specific contacts who are not connections
- You want visibility into who is viewing your profile so you can follow up strategically
- Your search is extending beyond two to three months and you need every advantage
When It Probably Is Not Worth It
- You are in a short, focused search where your priority is tailored applications rather than LinkedIn volume
- You have a strong existing network that gives you warm introductions without InMail
- Your search is primarily through recruiters or direct applications rather than LinkedIn applications
The Free Trial
LinkedIn typically offers a one-month free trial of Premium. Starting a trial at the most active period of your search — when you are running several parallel processes and want the profile viewer data — is a practical way to access Premium benefits without committing to full monthly payment.
Build your CV free at CVCircuit and optimise your free LinkedIn profile before deciding whether Premium adds incremental value.