LinkedIn Alternatives

Anyone who has tried to find a job in the past couple of years has heard of LinkedIn, one of the most well-known job networking websites. LinkedIn is the main website used to find companies and jobs in pretty much every field and location.

But people tired of using LinkedIn for job hunting or networking may be looking for a website similar to LinkedIn. The good news is there are a variety of alternative options to consider. This article is all about the available LinkedIn alternatives out there for professional networking with a website similar to LinkedIn.

Why People Use LinkedIn

When it comes to job networking sites, LinkedIn is a great way to find a job. It has easy-to-use features that can tailor your job searches for what field, location, experience level, and type you’re looking for. This makes narrowing down jobs to apply for a simple and straightforward process. Another main feature of LinkedIn is the ability to professionally network with a large number of people in each industry. Professional networking is one of the main ways to secure a job or a promotion.

Knowing a higher-up in a company or an industry can give you a huge leg up when applying for a job in the company or industry, and will often help you at least get your foot in the door. One way to do that is by cold messaging people you’d like to network with on LinkedIn. That’s why people utilize the massive amount of people and communities to professionally network, as it can allow them to advance in their careers. Many companies utilize LinkedIn for marketing purposes. 

Another benefit of LinkedIn is the LinkedIn Learning feature. LinkedIn Learning is training courses on various professional skills run by LinkedIn. The training programs are designed to give you real-world skills to improve your job prospects. LinkedIn Learning is a great tool, but there are many LinkedIn Learning alternatives that will be discussed in this article. As one of the most known job networking websites, LinkedIn is a great site for anything job-related, but there is a great deal of LinkedIn alternatives for people to explore.

Alternatives to Using LinkedIn

Just like there are many different social media platforms out there, there are several professional networking platforms, too, including options if you’re looking for a website similar to LinkedIn. If you have been using LinkedIn to job hunt or to network, you may be tired of navigating the same site for so long. That’s why there are a ton of LinkedIn alternatives, both to professionally network and job hunt. There are several job board websites such as Indeed, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and many others that have a ton of job listings. Similar to LinkedIn, they have a variety of search settings you can use to find jobs right for you. Use these job boards to expand on the amount of jobs you are applying for, thus, giving you a better shot than relying solely on LinkedIn.

There are also many LinkedIn alternatives for networking that are available. Many networking websites and communities exist for specific fields of work and may be more effective for you than just LinkedIn. For example, ResearchGate is great for connecting with other researchers, professors, or other kinds of academics. This field of work is generally not promoted a great deal on LinkedIn, so it’s nice to have another option. AngelList is great for tech start-up companies; The Dots is great for creatives, like photographers, artists, and musicians; and Goodwall is more guided to a younger audience. These websites, along with many others, may not do what LinkedIn does better, but they are more geared toward a certain community or niche. This can make them more effective to use if you are a part of that community. 

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a section of LinkedIn that is all about training videos and courses on a variety of topics. These topics are all work skills that can assist you in finding a job in various fields of work. This is one of the best tools LinkedIn provides because these videos are tangible ways to improve real skills employers desire. Both a free and a paid version exist, so you can decide which you want to pursue. There are also many alternatives to LinkedIn Learning, similar to how there are many LinkedIn alternatives in general. 

LinkedIn Learning Alternatives

LinkedIn Learning is a great tool, but there are many alternatives to LinkedIn Learning that are just as effective. Taking a course at a community college can be a great alternative to LinkedIn Learning for building a new skill. They are usually cheap, can be taken online, and allow you to ask real people questions and get feedback on how to improve. If you do not want to enroll in a class to build a skill, there are a ton of websites and applications that can help. Many people are familiar with Khan Academy from their school days, but they also have a career section. This section can teach you skills from various careers and is a great, free LinkedIn Learning alternative.

There are also many alternatives to LinkedIn Learning that are more specific to different fields. For example, Skillshare is designed for creative types, like artists and photographers, and has classes geared toward their fields. Codecademy is all about teaching programming courses and has courses that reward you with professional certifications upon completion. While some of these LinkedIn Learning alternatives cost money, they can be worth the price depending on what courses you are after. There are many alternatives to LinkedIn Learning, similar to the large amount of general LinkedIn alternatives, and you should spend some time exploring them to see if they are right for you. This can open up doors to learning new skills you never even knew existed. 

Professional Networking Alternatives

Now that we have covered networking websites for jobs that are LinkedIn alternatives, and LinkedIn learning alternatives, let’s focus on professional networking alternatives. You may have heard the expression, “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” In terms of getting a job, that is where networking comes into play. Professional networking can be a fantastic way to advance your career because knowing more people can bring more opportunities. Even so, networking can be exhausting to people, and trying to use LinkedIn to network can be hard due to the great number of people already utilizing it for that purpose. This leads to an over-saturated market and makes it harder actually to connect with people on LinkedIn. This is why it is important to know professional networking alternatives to LinkedIn.

Xing

Xing is an example that is very similar to LinkedIn and can be another tool you use for your career. Many professional networking alternatives to LinkedIn are designed to cater to a specific field. This makes it easier to find and connect with people who share your interests and goals. Examples of these could include community threads, such as Reddit or Pinterest. Both of these sites have active communities in all kinds of fields and have a high amount of user interaction. If you operate in more of a niche market, meeting people on these sites can be a great way to find work and collaboration in your field.

Slack

Another interesting professional networking alternative is Slack. Slack is more of a messaging app, but you can join communities of people who share your interests. It is an effective form of communication to connect with people in a similar field or job as you. This is a great way to network with a large number of people. As you can see, there are a large number of professional networking alternatives that you should be checking out. By no means should you abandon LinkedIn as both a networking and job-searching website. LinkedIn is a great tool and should be utilized by many working professionals. This demonstrates that there are many LinkedIn alternatives, and they should be explored in order to give yourself the best possible shot at improving your career.

Importance of LinkedIn Alternatives

The main point of this article is to demonstrate the large amount of tools and resources available to you during your job hunt and career, including numerous networking websites for jobs. Simply relying on LinkedIn alone may not get you the results you want, so it is important to try out many different networking websites for jobs and communities. We have discussed alternatives to LinkedIn Learning, which should be used to learn and improve all kinds of different skills. We have also discussed professional networking and the variety of ways and methods with which to conduct it.

Simply put, LinkedIn is a great social media for job hunting and networking. Some people even use LinkedIn for advertising. But similar to other social media platforms, why limit yourself to just one? Instead of just using Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat, why not use all three social media platforms? That is the same philosophy used in LinkedIn alternatives. Your career is your livelihood, so why not give yourself the best possible shot at being successful in your career? By trying out new ways of online learning, networking, and job hunting, you are opening many ways to advance your career. Everyone should know about and have access to these tools. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should I stop using LinkedIn if I start using alternative platforms?

No, you should not abandon LinkedIn – it remains a valuable tool that should be part of your overall strategy. The goal isn’t to replace LinkedIn entirely, but to diversify your professional networking and job search efforts. Think of it like social media: instead of using just Instagram, you might use Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat for different purposes. LinkedIn is still one of the most comprehensive professional platforms, but using it alongside alternatives gives you the best possible shot at career success.

2. What are the best LinkedIn alternatives for specific industries?

Several platforms cater to specific fields: ResearchGate is excellent for researchers, professors, and academics; AngelList focuses on tech start-ups and entrepreneurship; The Dots serves creatives like photographers, artists, and musicians; Goodwall targets younger professionals and students. For learning, Skillshare specializes in creative skills while Codecademy focuses on programming and offers professional certifications. These niche platforms often provide more targeted networking opportunities than LinkedIn’s broader approach.

3. Are there free alternatives to LinkedIn Learning for skill development?

Yes, several free options exist for professional skill development. Khan Academy has a career section that teaches various professional skills at no cost. Community college courses are typically inexpensive and can often be taken online, plus they offer the advantage of real instructor feedback. Many other platforms offer both free and paid tiers, so you can start learning without any upfront investment and upgrade later if you find the content valuable.

4. How can I network professionally outside of traditional job platforms?

Consider using community-based platforms like Reddit or Pinterest, which have active professional communities across all fields and high user interaction rates. Slack is particularly effective – while primarily a messaging app, you can join professional communities that share your interests and goals. These platforms often provide more genuine networking opportunities, especially in niche markets where you can find collaboration and work opportunities that might not appear on traditional job boards.

5. Why is LinkedIn becoming over-saturated for networking?

LinkedIn’s popularity has created an over-saturated market where millions of professionals are all trying to network on the same platform. This makes it increasingly difficult to stand out, get responses to cold messages, or make meaningful connections. The sheer volume of users means your outreach efforts may get lost in the noise. Alternative platforms often have smaller, more engaged communities where you’re more likely to build genuine professional relationships.

6. What’s the main advantage of using job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter alongside LinkedIn?

These platforms significantly expand the number of job opportunities you can access, giving you a better shot at finding the right position than relying solely on LinkedIn. Each platform may have exclusive job listings or different relationships with employers. By casting a wider net across multiple job boards, you increase your chances of discovering opportunities that might not be posted on LinkedIn, and you can take advantage of each platform’s unique search features and filters.

7. How do I decide which LinkedIn alternatives are right for me?

Start by identifying your specific industry, career goals, and networking needs. If you’re in a creative field, platforms like The Dots or Skillshare might be more valuable than general networking sites. For tech professionals, AngelList could provide better startup opportunities. Consider whether you’re primarily looking for job opportunities, skill development, or networking connections. Experiment with a few different platforms to see which ones have active communities in your field and provide the type of engagement and opportunities you’re seeking. Remember, you can use multiple platforms simultaneously to maximize your professional development and career opportunities.