Skill development is a necessity for every professional in the digital era.
Your worth and demand in the professional world are now directly linked to your skill set’s versatility and the number of certifications you have to show for them.
The good news is you have various online certification programs such as Udemy courses and LinkedIn certification programs to refine and improve your skillset.
The plethora of online courses and certifications available in the digital era can confuse even the most sorted of individuals.
It is quite hard to determine which ones are worth paying for, which ones employers recognize, which skill set will strengthen your portfolio, and which ones will not.
In this article, we provide an in-depth LinkedIn Learning review and offers to help determine whether they are worth your money, are any LinkedIn Learning alternatives, and whether LinkedIn Learning is legit.
Are LinkedIn Learning Certificates Worth It in 2024?
Yes, LinkedIn certificates are worth it. They offer advantages like demonstrating proficiency in specific skills, enhancing professional visibility, supporting job search efforts, and providing opportunities for professional networking. Although the impact may vary across industries and roles, LinkedIn certificates generally contribute positively to professional development.
What Are LinkedIn Certifications?
The LinkedIn account and LinkedIn Learning courses recognized the professional online learning platforms connecting job seekers and job providers to achieve their career certificates. Even if you haven’t heard of their learning courses, you probably have a professional profile on the forum.
The platform ventured into the world of academics through a sister platform LinkedIn Learning.
There you can get access to Linkedin Learning and various professional courses that can help you develop expertise in different fields. No matter what your occupation is, you can find a course on LinkedIn Learning
See Also: Is LinkedIn Learning Worth It?
How Do You Get LinkedIn Certifications?
Getting a LinkedIn certification is relatively easy and quite inexpensive as well.
Unlike other popular online courses, the LinkedIn Learning cost is not much than you expected, but how much does LinkedIn cost?
It starts at $29.99 per month, making it affordable and accessible for a wide range of audiences.
To get started with LinkedIn Learning, you will first have to create a LinkedIn Learning account. Once you get registered, you will have to select a few general skills you want to learn or are related to your professional field.
See Also: What Is LinkedIn Learning?
Make sure you pay attention to the skills you select and carefully think before choosing because your choices will determine the options you get if you don’t want to go the long way of hunting for courses yourself.
Once you complete the registration and selection process, LinkedIn will give you a few suggestions for the courses you can take based on your selection.
- Offers a wide range of courses and tutorials on various topics
- Boost your Career with LinkedIn Learning
- Anytime, Anywhere Learning
- Validate your Skills
You can also manually search for courses in the fields of Business, Creative, or Technology. You can also browse through the Top Trending Courses or the most liked ones to find popular ones that may benefit your professional growth.
See Also: Best Online Business Course
LinkedIn Learning Courses
LinkedIn Learning courses fall into the following categories:
Business Software and Tools: Courses range from basic computer literacy and proficiency in Microsoft Office suite to advanced database management and cloud computing.
Leadership and Management: These courses help develop essential soft skills, such as decision-making, leadership, project management, and strategic planning.
Finance and Accounting: LinkedIn Learning offers courses in financial analysis, investing, taxes, and other finance-related topics.
Career Development: This includes interview skills, resume writing, personal branding, and other career enhancement skills.
Data Science: There are courses on data analysis, machine learning, and various tools like Python, R, SQL, and Tableau.
Sales: This includes topics like sales strategies, software, and customer relationship management.
Software Development: Here you’ll find courses on a wide array of programming languages, mobile and web development, and software testing.
Marketing: This includes digital marketing, SEO, social media marketing, and content marketing among others.
Design: Courses cover topics like graphic design, web design, user experience, and popular tools like Adobe Creative Suite.
Education and Instructional Design: These courses focus on teaching methodologies, curriculum design, and e-learning.
3D and Animation: These courses teach skills in various animation and modeling software.
- Offers a wide range of courses and tutorials on various topics
- Boost your Career with LinkedIn Learning
- Anytime, Anywhere Learning
- Validate your Skills
Photography: This category includes courses on various aspects of both digital and analog photography.
Video: Here you’ll find courses on video editing, videography, and motion graphics.
Cloud Computing: Courses focus on popular platforms like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and more.
IT Operations: Courses include topics like ITIL, cybersecurity, networking, and system administration.
Human Resources: Topics range from talent management to compensation and benefits.
Personal Development: This encompasses a wide range of self-help and personal growth topics.
Health and Wellness: Courses cover topics from mental health to fitness and nutrition.
Learning Options
So you don’t just get access to a plethora of courses. You can also get proper guidance that will help you flourish professionally. You can learn through three different paths.
- Via Subjects
- By field
- Softwares
If you have a particular subject that interests you, you can search for courses within that subject. If you want to switch fields, then LinkedIn Learning can help you find the right courses to start your field change process.
Switching a field isn’t easy, and people often get confused initially, not knowing where to start. LinkedIn learning will help you identify which individual courses to begin with and which to undertake to refine your skills once you reach the advanced level.
So, for example, if you want to become a digital marketer, then you can start with foundation-level courses and move on to more advanced SEO and advertising techniques.
However, the best and most relevant feature of LinkedIn learning is the option to learn the software.
With the pandemic bringing about increasing digitalization in the work sphere, professionals will have to learn their way around different software to ensure the smooth sailing of remote working models.
Once you complete the online course and watch all the videos in the Linkedin Learning course, you can get a certification of completion that you can include in your resume and your LinkedIn profile.
- Offers a wide range of courses and tutorials on various topics
- Boost your Career with LinkedIn Learning
- Anytime, Anywhere Learning
- Validate your Skills
However, there is no testing mechanism, so the learner is solely responsible for understanding the course. You can get transcripts for the videos and revisit them for revision when you feel the need to.
Pros of LinkedIn Learning
- Access to a wide range of online courses that you can take from the comfort of your own home by using a Linkedin Learning subscription.
- critical thinking skills can be enhanced through various courses offered by LinkedIn Learning, particularly those in the Leadership and Management or Personal Development categories.
- You have the liberty to learn at your own pace with LinkedIn Learning.
- You will have unlimited access to all courses at a set monthly fee.
- The monthly price is lower than that of other online courses, online learning, and Linkedin Learning certifications.
- You can also subscribe for a Linkedin Learning free trial to improve your learning paths
- The Linkedin Learning platform will give you personalized recommendations that can help you become an expert in your field of choice.
- The interface is very user-friendly and easy to understand and navigate through, making it suitable for people of all ages.
- All the Linkedin Learning courses are taught by field experts.
- You also can ask questions from the Linkedin Learning instructor if you don’t understand a particular concept.
- You can add the Linkedin Learning certificate of completion to your LinkedIn profile to improve your profile’s quality and expertise level.
- Offers a wide range of courses and tutorials on various topics
- Boost your Career with LinkedIn Learning
- Anytime, Anywhere Learning
- Validate your Skills
Cons of LinkedIn Learning
- The biggest drawback of LinkedIn Learning is that it is not accredited by any educational body, which raises a big question mark on the actual worth of these courses.
- Though cheaper than most services, it is slightly more expensive than other services in the same industry or field.
- The lack of a testing mechanism or the absence of a proper learning timeline fuels a passive learning attitude, which is not very fruitful.
- Some courses are outdated or lacking in terms of quality. Industry leaders teaching the courses may be veterans who are unaware of current trends.
- The absence of a regular course updating mechanism can be off-putting for many users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do LinkedIn Learning Certificates Matter in Your Job Hunt?
There is no straightforward answer for whether or not LinkedIn Learning makes a difference in your job hunt. The effect these certifications have on your professional profile is similar to that of internships.
Some employers place great emphasis on getting internships and are even willing to count that as acquired work experience, whereas other employers disregard them completely
Do I Just Have to Watch the Link in the Course to Get a Certification or Do I Need to Take Tests?
There are no tests in LinkedIn Learning. However, you will have to watch all the videos for you to be eligible for the certification.
Once you complete the course, you can then download the completion certificate from the course learning history tab. From there, you can also revisit your courses or the learning path of your choice to track your progress
Are LinkedIn Learning certificates recognized by employers?
Recognition of LinkedIn Learning certificates can vary depending on the employer and industry. While some may value the demonstrated commitment to skill development, others may place more emphasis on formal qualifications and professional experience.
Do LinkedIn Learning certificates expire?
LinkedIn Learning certificates do not expire. They serve as a testament to the fact that you completed the course, but it’s a good practice to keep updating your skills as technologies and industry trends evolve.
Is there an extra cost for the certificates after subscribing to LinkedIn Learning?
No, there’s no extra cost for the certificates. Once you subscribe to LinkedIn Learning, you get access to all the courses and their respective certificates upon completion.
How long does it take to earn a certificate?
The time it takes to earn a LinkedIn Learning certificate depends on the length of the course. Courses can range from under an hour to several hours of content, so the time to completion will vary.
