As your friend in the world of professional social media, I want to let you in on a little secret – you can save over $300 each year by canceling LinkedIn Premium. But before we dive into the how-to, let me catch you up on why over 830 million people use LinkedIn in the first place.
The Story Behind the Premier Professional Platform
Founded originally as a business contact manager in 2002, LinkedIn saw rapid growth as professionals flocked to connect with peers online. In 2016, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $26 billion – their largest acquisition to date!
But while basic LinkedIn remains free, they introduced premium paid subscriptions to access additional features. Depending on your career goals, you may have signed up to take advantage of these extras. However, at up to $60 every month, is LinkedIn Premium still worth the cost?
I‘ll walk you through what Premium offers, who it might benefit, and a step-by-step guide to cancelling your subscription while still making the most of LinkedIn.
Weighing the Benefits of Premium
Over two-thirds of LinkedIn members are located outside the United States, demonstrating the global reach of this network. For many professionals, Premium provides that extra edge when networking and job seeking in competitive fields.
But what additional value comes with the price tag?
Core Premium Features
When you upgrade to Premium, you gain:
- Expanded profile views – See beyond the last 5 profiles that visited yours
- Advanced profile control – Show your profile to recruiters but hide from your current employer
- Additional search filters – Search by timeline, location, company size
- Message credits – Reach out to other members through Unlimited InMail messages
- Courses & expert support – Access over 16,000 premium courses and coaching
However, you may discover the free resources meet your needs or have found career success, negating the need to pay anymore.
Luckily, canceling only takes minutes!
Follow the Path to Instant Premium Cancellation
Without further ado, here is my complete walkthrough to easily manage and cancel your Premium subscription:
Step 1: Access Your Account Settings
In the top right corner, click on your profile picture, then select Premium from the dropdown list:
This opens your Premium dashboard.
Step 2: Locate the Manage Option
Under My Premium in the top right, click or tap on Manage Subscription in blue text:
You have unlocked the account management portal!
Step 3: Pick Plan Cancellation
In the center box called Manage Premium Account, choose Cancel subscription in blue letters again:
Almost there…!
Step 4: Confirm Cancellation
Once you select cancellation, confirm this is your intent when prompted:
Congratulations – your LinkedIn Premium is now officially canceled!
While you may miss some extras, remember Premium often locks useful features behind a paywall when free equivalents exist elsewhere.
LinkedIn Alternatives – Free Resources Abound!
Even without Premium, LinkedIn supplies enough tools to manage your professional profile and make connections, including:
- Customizing your Profile visibility
- Showcasing your Skills, Accomplishments, Volunteer Work
- Connecting with colleagues old and new
- Checking notifications and Messages
- Applying for open Job posts from companies
Additionally, extensions like Namely or DataScouts provide visitor tracking analytics comparable to Premium.
For career advice and coaching, Climb Credit publishes regular tips for the modern job seeker across industries.
I hope breaking down the cancellation process step-by-step shows you nothing can stand between you and saving money! Think carefully if Premium aligned to your career goals before reactivating.
As your professional social media specialist, I‘m here to get your questions answered around LinkedIn or maximizing your brand presence through any online platform. Now go connect with your dream employer – whether Premium or not!
