LinkedIn, the largest professional networking platform with over 1 billion users across more than 200 countries, introduced LinkedIn Recruiter in 2008. This new staffing solutions product offered premium features and services tailored to meet the specific needs of corporate staffing departments.
The tool has become a popular choice for talent acquisition specialists and recruiters to find and engage with candidates on the platform. However, its pricing remains somewhat mysterious. In this article, we’ll explore the costs of LinkedIn’s recruiter packages and discuss whether they offer good value for money. You can also checkout Key Trends, Opportunities, and Salaries in the Netherlands.
What is LinkedIn Recruiter?
LinkedIn Recruiter is a premium service provided by LinkedIn, tailored specifically for recruiters. It functions as an enhanced version of a standard LinkedIn profile, enabling recruiters to access a broader talent pool, obtain contact information for potential candidates, and manage the recruitment process more efficiently.
LinkedIn Recruiter is an entirely separate platform that enables recruiters to search for candidates using Boolean search, a method that refines online searches through specific keywords and operators. Recruiters can then contact candidates via InMails, private messages that allow direct communication with other LinkedIn members without requiring a prior connection.
What are some of its benefits?
LinkedIn Recruiter beats a regular LinkedIn profile in the following ways:
Advanced search filters: Find candidates based on specific criteria such as skills, location, education, industry, and more.
Direct candidate outreach: Send InMails and identify candidates who are available to message. You can also send bulk messages through your dashboard.
Pipeline management: Add candidates to a “project” to organize your messaging and receive alerts when they change jobs or get promoted.
What are LinkedIn’s recruitment packages?
LinkedIn Recruiter comes in two packages:
Recruiter Lite
This option is cost-effective, designed for individual recruiters or small teams, and includes the following features:
- Network access visibility: Up to 3rd-degree connections
- Search filters: 20+ filters
- Search alerts: 10
- InMail messages: 30
Recruiter Corporate
This is the premium and most powerful solution.
- Network access visibility: Full access to all profiles
- Search filters: All search filters
- Search alerts: 50
- InMail messages: 150
LinkedIn Recruiter’s pricing considerations
LinkedIn does not disclose the prices of its recruitment products upfront and determines charges on a case-by-case basis. The actual costs are disclosed by their sales team after assessing your company and specific requirements. They then provide a customized price based on the following factors:
- License Quantity: The cost per seat decreases marginally with larger license purchases.
- Company Size and Industry: Larger companies and those in competitive industries may incur higher costs.
- Geographical Location: Pricing varies based on location.
LinkedIn Recruiter expenses
According to industry research and reports, here are estimated costs:
- Recruiter Lite: Approximately $170 per month for one license, with $270 per month for licenses 2 to 5.
- Recruiter Corporate: Roughly $12,960 per seat annually (equivalent to about $1,080 per month).
Extra charges associated with LinkedIn Recruiter
InMails :
InMails are messages sent to individuals outside your network. With Recruiter Corporate, you receive a monthly allocation of 150 InMails, and with Recruiter Lite, you receive 30.
If you’re new to recruitment or entering a new market, relying solely on your monthly InMail allowance may not be sufficient to engage potential candidates, especially considering the average response rate of 18-25%.
So, what are the costs for additional InMails? They are priced at a significant $10 each. This means that if you need an extra 100 InMails, and typically expect 18-25 responses, it would cost you $1,000.
Job posting :
If you intend to advertise a job opening on LinkedIn to attract qualified candidates, note that posting a single job is free. However, unpaid job posts do not rank on the first page and have limited visibility in searches.
Similar to other job boards, increasing the visibility of your job post requires purchasing promoted posts and setting a budget. The higher your budget, the higher your job post will rank.
Alternatively, LinkedIn offers a contract model through its Talent Solutions department. You can specify criteria for a role (e.g., Machine Learning Engineer, San Francisco, 7+ years of experience), set up the job post to run for six months, and get billed at the end of the period based on the number of qualified candidates who apply.
Is it worth it?
Typically, the answer to this question would be a resounding no. However, since LinkedIn’s inception in 2003, it has come to dominate the recruitment sector. Today, competing effectively often necessitates investing in a LinkedIn Recruiter corporate license and a substantial number of InMails.
Is there an alternative?
There are several alternatives to purchasing a costly LinkedIn Recruiter license:
Free options:
- Utilize your connections: LinkedIn permits you to send up to 100 connection requests per week. Once connected, you can message individuals at no cost, so maximize this option.
- Use an email-finding tool: Basic LinkedIn searches still allow you to find candidates, though limited to a certain number of pages without a premium subscription. You can identify candidates and extract their email addresses using free trials of email scraping tools like ContactOut or Lusha.
- Create content: Building your personal brand by sharing relevant and valuable content on LinkedIn is effective in attracting potential candidates. Write blogs, LinkedIn posts, and host webinars discussing industry trends and insights.
Job boards
Consider signing up for various job boards like Indeed, Monster, or Glassdoor to post job listings and attract candidates actively seeking new opportunities. Here’s a synopsis of why opting for a job board might be preferable over LinkedIn Recruiter:
- Active job seekers: Job boards draw users actively searching for new roles, unlike LinkedIn where not all users may be actively looking. This ensures you reach a pool of candidates more likely to apply, potentially streamlining your hiring process.
- Cost-effectiveness: Job boards often offer more budget-friendly options compared to LinkedIn Recruiter subscriptions, with tiered pricing structures based on your specific needs.
- Enhanced visibility: Posting on relevant job boards expands your company’s visibility beyond existing networks, attracting a broader array of talent that may not be accessible through LinkedIn alone.
However, keep in mind the following considerations:
- Limited access to candidate profiles: Job boards typically do not provide the same level of detailed candidate information as LinkedIn Recruiter.
- High volume of applications: Expect to receive numerous applications, including many from candidates who may not be suitable for the role. This necessitates significant time and effort to filter through applications.
- Passive candidate pool: Up to 70% of the workforce consists of passive candidates who are not actively seeking new opportunities. Relying solely on active job seekers may limit your access to potential talent.
JobsReach
A compelling alternative to LinkedIn Recruiter is JobsReach, an AI-powered recruitment platform that utilizes AI and social media strategies to precisely identify desired candidates without relying on traditional Boolean searches and share job vacancies and attract ideal applicants.
Here are its primary features:
- No Candidate database: JobsReach does not rely on candidate database to match candidates, It reaches wider audience through social media platforms where potential candidates are actively engaged.
- Precision and customization: JobsReach enables highly specific searches based on criteria such as job title, location, company history, skills, published work, and niche expertise.
- Contact details: Gain access to accurate contact information including emails and phone numbers to directly reach out to candidates, similar to LinkedIn.
- Personalized outreach: JobsReach provides Inbox service to send personalized communication with other registered members.
- Talent Insights: Utilize data-driven recruitment insights to understand a company’s talent strategy in depth.
JobsReach, powered by GeniusArena Software B.V., revolutionizes modern recruitment by offering access to millions of talents, scalable candidate engagement, and data-driven insights at a fraction of the cost compared to LinkedIn Recruiter. JobsReach provides standard and flexible subscription plans, allowing small and medium enterprises as well as large corporations to hire the right candidates cost-effectively.
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