Could LinkedIn Learning Boost Your Job Opportunities?
Is LinkedIn Learning worth it?
Jim Rohn, success mentor to millions, is noted for many pieces of advice. One of these is that, if you want to be successful in life, you should work harder on yourself than you do your job. When you work harder on yourself, you increase your knowledge, ability, and capability in what you do. This makes you more valuable to the market – and a preferred candidate for hiring managers.
But how do you work harder on yourself than you do your job? How can you acquire extra knowledge and expertise if it is not through your daily work?
Taking career-relevant courses is a great place to start. But what courses should you take? Where do you find courses that will help to drive your career forward?
The answer could be LinkedIn Learning.
What Is LinkedIn Learning?
LinkedIn Learning is LinkedIn’s eLearning platform. It gives you access to more than 18,000 courses that cover a huge range of skills and knowledge across subject areas that include business, technology, creative, leadership and management, professional development, business software and tools, and more. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced-level learner, there are courses for you.
The courses are also delivered in various learning models, including bite-size videos and in-depth tutorials, and tailored to leaning requirements in ways that make it easy to learn at your own pace. You’ll find many courses include elements such as quizzes and exercises that help cement your learning as you work toward a course completion certificate.
How Does LinkedIn Learning Work?
LinkedIn Learning is offered as a subscription, starting at $29.99 per month. You get a one-month free trial, and you can pay annually, which effectively gives you two months’ free each year. It is also possible to purchase individual courses.
Select a course from the course library, and you gain access to that course. You can also ask questions and read answers to other questions posted in the community.
For most courses, once you have completed a course, you receive a Certificate of Course Completion. While these aren’t accredited courses, you can display the certificates on your LinkedIn profile.
Before you start any course, you should ensure it is right for you:
- Check the subject is relevant
- Choose an appropriate learning level
- Note how many people have taken the course
- Read course reviews
Each course is accompanied by a preview video. Watch this, and you’ll get a good feel for what the course offers.
The Pros of LinkedIn Learning
There are a lot of reasons why you should use LinkedIn Learning. Here are a few:
The Range of Courses
There is a huge range of courses available. Whether you are seeking an entry-level job, to advance your career, or change career path, there are courses designed for your unique needs.
Unlimited Access to Courses
Included in your subscription is unlimited access to every course. That’s a huge amount of learning potential.
It’s User Friendly
As you would expect from a company the size of LinkedIn, a lot of time and effort has been put into making the user experience as easy and user friendly as possible. You could be taking your first course in only a few clicks of the mouse.
You Gain Access to Subject Experts
Tutors who post courses on LinkedIn Learning are vetted by LinkedIn, to ensure that they are subject experts.
You Receive Certificates of Completion
Finish a course, and add a Certificate of Completion to your LinkedIn profile – any advantage helps when so many recruiters search for candidates on LinkedIn.
Available in Multiple Languages
If your first language isn’t English, don’t worry – LinkedIn Learning courses are available in several languages.
You Get Personalized Recommendations
You’ll also receive recommendations based on your LinkedIn profile.
A Low Monthly Fee
All of this, for less than $30 a month. Unlimited access to 18,000+ courses, when you want and where you want. That’s pretty good value when it comes to measuring investment in working on yourself.
The Cons of LinkedIn Learning
Before subscribing to LinkedIn Learning, you should also be aware of the disadvantages of the platform:
Courses Aren’t Accredited
While LinkedIn Learning courses are a great way to upskill, they are not accredited. You may receive a certificate, but this is not recognized as a formal qualification.
Some Courses Are Not as High-Quality as You Would Wish
Though LinkedIn makes every effort to vet tutors and ensure courses attain a minimum standard, some of the courses may be outdated.
You Must Be Dedicated to Learning
While being able to learn at your own pace is an advantage, it also means that you are responsible for completing each course. You must be prepared to make time to learn, and then see each course to through the end.
The Bottom Line: Is LinkedIn Learning Worth It?
With a low monthly fee, and access to thousands of courses that will help you upskill at your own pace and in an environment that you find most motivating, LinkedIn Learning is a great platform to demonstrate to hiring managers your increasing knowledge and skills and willingness to learn and develop.
It’s a great way to help you stand out from other candidates and improve your chances of being hired to your ideal job. Why not give LinkedIn Learning a trial (remember, you get a free trial month). Don’t forget to add your courses to your resume when you submit it to 6 Degrees.