How to Unlock LinkedIn Premium Features—for Free

I recently read this (legitimate) gripe about LinkedIn Premium:

"LinkedIn, if you are serious about wanting to help us job seekers, you have seriously got to lower the price of premium! My cell phone bill is $45/month, internet is $60, gas is about $35 per fill up (I don't drive a lot, so that usually holds me over for a month, thankfully.) Meanwhile premium is $40/month. So, if I have to chose between which one I can pay for this month, given that I am currently job hunting and need to be very frugal until I land my next role, which one do you think I'm going to pick? I would consider reactivating it if you could give me a free month or at the very least bring it down to $20 for the month."

Here are my workarounds.

LinkedIn Premium can be expensive, especially when every dollar counts during a job search. The good news? You don’t need Premium to job search effectively.

Here are some free (or lower-cost) alternatives to get similar benefits:

⏳ Early Access to Jobs? – Many jobs aren’t even posted publicly! Networking and engaging in industry groups can help you uncover opportunities before they hit job boards.

🔍 See Who’s Viewing Your Profile – Instead of relying on Premium insights, engage actively by commenting on industry posts and reaching out directly to recruiters. If they viewed your profile, they might be open to a conversation!

📈 Job Insights & Salary Data – Use Glassdoor, Payscale, or Levels.fyi for salary research. For company trends, Google “[Company Name] layoffs” or “[Company Name] hiring trends” to find articles or reports.

📝 AI-Powered Resume & Cover Letter Help – Free tools like ChatGPT or TealHQ can help optimize your applications without needing Premium’s AI assistance.

📬 InMail Alternative – Instead of paying for messages, connect with recruiters and hiring managers via email.

Also, LinkedIn sometimes offers free trials of Premium. But even without it, a strategic approach to networking and applications can get you results!

(You can see the comparison of free vs premium in the slides below⬇️ )

Would love to hear from others—have you found ways to job search effectively without Premium? 🚀

See the post on LinkedIn here

🔎 JOB SEARCH

5 Ways to Find Decision-Makers - Jessica Hernandez, Great Resumes Fast

In this post Jessica explains  five ways to skip the black hole mess and get direct access to decision makers. We know this is important but it’s also important to follow the instructions. If there is an open role you are interested in, apply on the company website PLUS reach out to decision makers. 

Does it matter where your job seekers apply? - Marie Zimenoff, Career Thought Leaders

This post was targeting career coaches, but the data is for you! When you understand where recruiters get their new hires from and you understand which job boards (Google) get the greatest response rate, you’ll be able to adjust your job search accordingly. (Get referred, use the company’s career site, and use the best job boards for your role).

🤝 NETWORKING

How To Create Your Target Company List - Greg Roche

A target list is essential when it comes to job search and networking! Every job search coach recommends one, but few job seekers put one together. Maybe this article will help you put your list together (and why it’s so vital). 

💻 LINKEDIN

Strategically Use Skills in Your LinkedIn Profile - Adam Broda

It isn’t enough to just have the right skills assigned to your profile. You’ll want to make sure you max out the skills that are most relevant to to roles you are pursuing. Follow these recommended steps and check out Adam’s cheat sheet.  

⚙ AI

OpenAI just dropped 11 free prompt courses - Ruben Hassid

This list of the free prompt courses available from OpenAI is an easy way for you to invest in your professional development. AI will be part of your next role and if you start building these skills you’ll likey be ahead of others in your field. 

🔮 WORKFORCE

The Ecology of Genuine Work: How to Discourage WorkSlop - Carlos E. Perez, Intuition Machine

AI is as powerful and useful as its users and collaborators. This is a fantastic explanation of workslop and 3 laws to prevent it. It takes purposeful intervention and building a new work culture. Learn how to build an organization where genuine contribution naturally wins. Shoutout to Hung Lee’s Recruiting Brainfood! 

Law 1: Fake Work Creates Real Debt

When workslop happens “You have to decode it, fix it, or worse, pretend it’s useful while privately working around it. This debt compounds: you trust me less, so you verify more.”

Law 2: Context Is Kryptonite

“Workslop, being context-blind, creates those awkward moments where everyone realizes the sender didn’t actually engage with the reality of the situation.”

Law Three- Thinking out loud

“Organizations that privilege polished presentation create workslop factories. Organizations that privilege thinking-in-progress create genuine contribution ecosystems.”

💰 CAREER

Finding Your Dream Job: A Framework That Evolves With You - Kristin Hendrix, Leadership Vitae

At each phase of your life your priorities change. This article walks you through exercises that can help you evaluate what’s most important so you can pursue a career that aligns with where you are. 

📶 RECRUITER PERSPECTIVE

New research from University of Maryland, NUS, and Ohio State reveals that LLMs systematically prefer resumes they wrote themselves - Glenn Cathey

What happens when AI is used by recruiters to screen resumes? A take-away from Glenn “For job seekers - if companies are using GenAI screening 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗮𝘀, you may need AI resume assistance just to stay competitive.” Cathay additionally notes that when recruiters tell LLMs to eliminate writing bias, it can and does! Here’s the full research. 

EVENTS

Join the Job Search Challenge

Starting next Monday!!

Here’s what you get during the 5 weeks:

• 5 actionable job search goals to move you forward

• Step-by-step instructions so you never feel stuck

• Ready-to-use templates, samples, and checklists

• 30-minute group check-in call on Zoom for accountability and support

• Delivered straight to your inbox, every Monday

See the full details and FAQs here.

Only 15 spots available and $39 for all 5 weeks!

JOB SEARCH VISUAL

Not Sure Where To Network? Start Here

Networking doesn’t have to be awkward — it’s your secret weapon for landing new opportunities and building a strong career network.

💡 Why It Matters
✨ Leads to insider job info
✨ Keeps you current on trends
✨ Opens doors to mentors & advice

WHERE TO NETWORK IRL (In Real Life)

👥 Industry events & conferences
🏢 Chamber of Commerce meetups
🎓 Alumni or professional association events
💼 Job seeker groups
🎟️ Fundraisers or community events

Pro tip: Bring a friend to ease nerves!

ONE-ON-ONE NETWORKING

☕ Meet former coworkers
📞 Reach out to people you admire
👩‍🏫 Find a mentor or build an advisory board
💌 Always follow up within 48 hours

ONLINE NETWORKING

💬 Join LinkedIn or Facebook groups
🎥 Attend virtual events or LinkedIn Lives
💻 Take online classes to meet peers
🎓 Use your alumni network

EVERYDAY OPPORTUNITIES

🎯 Volunteer for causes you love
🎨 Join hobby or sports groups
🎉 Host casual get-togethers
👨‍👩‍👧 Family & community events count too!

✅ Build real relationships
✅ Network before you need to
✅ Stay in touch, not just when job hunting

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