After having done over 500 LinkedIn trainings around the world, this is, by far, the #1 question I get.
So let me give you the definitive answer once and for all by speaking to the three supposed "value props" I hear the most:
1) How am I supposed to reach out to alumni without InMails?
It turns out that reaching out via InMail is actually a highly inefficient channel since LinkedIn has a little secret: It may have 1B users but only a tiny fraction of those are engaged on the platform. Which means that even if you buy Premium, there's a pretty good chance your intended contact will never see your InMail anyway. On the other hand, every single alum checks their work email 5-10 times a day (just like we all do!), so whether you find that work email via your alumni directory or free tools like Email Hunter, you actually have a better chance of getting through by not paying for InMails.
2) Doesn't LinkedIn Premium increase my visibility when recruiters search?
I totally get where this idea comes from - after all, it seems like every search engine from Google to Amazon to Indeed allows advertisers to put their listings above everyone else's. However, here's LinkedIn's second big secret: They make 6X more money from recruiters than they do from job-seekers. So there's no way in hell that they would ever compromise the LinkedIn Recruiter search listings (which recruiters pay about $10K/year/seat for!) to put Premium job-seekers (who are paying $30/month) above the ideal candidates.
3) I'm using LinkedIn Free like you told me to, Jeremy - but I keep running into Commercial Use Limits.
I ❤️ to hear this because it tells me that you're really using LinkedIn seriously - which is awesome. But I know it's frustrating to run into that brick wall of "No more searches/profile views this month" - and, of course, tempting to just throw money at the problem. But having been a broke student myself twice over, there's no reason to pay for LinkedIn Premium when you could just set up a second free account and keep searching to your heart's content... :)
Bottom Line: Save your money for things that actually matter - like taking an alum out for coffee and building the relationships that will truly help you succeed!
PS: One other note for career coaches -> As someone who's teaching LinkedIn techniques to students, it can help to use the same version that students see. One of the double-edged swords of being a LinkedIn "alum" is that I was automatically grandfathered into LinkedIn Premium when I left the company. And while it occasionally has some upsides (e.g., there are some interesting Company/Job stats you can only see as a Premium member), students get frustrated when my screen looks different than theirs. So from a pure "I'm in the same boat" standpoint, being on the literal same page with students can be useful!