8 Underrated LinkedIn Features Every Job Seeker Must Use

Boost your career with 8 free LinkedIn features to enhance networking, recruiter visibility & job search success—no Premium needed.

8 Powerful LinkedIn Features Every Job Seeker Should Use

Finding a new job is tough. Between endless applications, unanswered emails, and applicant tracking systems (ATS) filtering candidates, many professionals feel like their efforts vanish into a black hole. But what if the platform you already use every day—LinkedIn—had hidden features that could open doors, connect you with recruiters, and even get you discovered for new roles?

Here’s the truth: LinkedIn is far more than just a digital resume. When used strategically, it becomes a powerful networking and job-hunting tool. The problem is that most people don’t know about many of its most effective features.

In this guide, you’ll learn eight underrated LinkedIn features that can transform your job search. We’ll cover everything from messaging anyone without LinkedIn Premium to leveraging skill assessments, career breaks, and the featured section on your profile. By the end, you’ll have a toolkit of strategies that can give you a serious edge in today’s competitive job market.

Feature #1: Message Anyone Without LinkedIn Premium

One of the biggest frustrations for job seekers is LinkedIn’s messaging paywall. Normally, if someone isn’t a first-degree connection, you’re forced to either send a connection request and hope for a reply or pay for LinkedIn Premium to send InMail. But there’s a workaround.

If you and the person you want to contact are in the same LinkedIn group, you can message them directly—no Premium required. Simply:

Join relevant groups, such as your high school, college alumni groups, or company alumni groups.
Navigate to the “All Members” tab within the group.
Click Show All and select the person you’d like to message.

This works for second- and even third-degree connections. Alumni and colleagues from past companies are especially receptive, making this method one of the most effective ways to expand your network without spending money.

Pro tip: Beyond alumni groups, search for industry-specific groups (e.g., “Digital Marketing Professionals” or “Healthcare Analytics Leaders”). Networking inside these communities gives you direct access to industry experts and hiring managers.

Feature #2: Use the Alumni and People Tabs for Targeted Networking

LinkedIn’s People/Alumni tabs on company and university pages are goldmines for targeted networking. Let’s say you want to work at Apple. By visiting your university’s LinkedIn page and selecting the Alumni tab, you can filter for people working at Apple. You’ll instantly see a list of alumni to reach out to.

Want to take it a step further? Instead of connecting directly from the alumni page, copy their name and search within your alumni LinkedIn group. If they’re a member, you can message them for free (see Feature #1).

This strategy works on company pages too. For example, if you’re targeting Amazon in New York City:

Go to Amazon’s LinkedIn company page.
Select the People tab.
Filter by Location (New York City) and Department (e.g., Sales, Marketing, Operations).
Narrow it down further to first- and second-degree connections.

The result? A refined list of professionals most likely to respond to coffee chat requests or informational interviews.

Feature #3: Click “I’m Interested” on Company Pages

Many job seekers don’t realize that some LinkedIn company pages include an “I’m Interested” button in the About section. Clicking it signals to recruiters that you’re open to opportunities at that company.

When you do this, your profile gets added to the company’s recruiter database. From there, recruiters can reach out directly if they’re hiring for a role that matches your background.

A few important notes:

Not all companies have this feature enabled.
Your “interest” expires after one year, so refresh it annually.

Don’t expect an immediate wave of recruiter messages—it’s more about increasing visibility in the long term.

Feature #4: Explore Career Paths with LinkedIn Career Explorer

Feeling stuck in your current role? LinkedIn’s Career Explorer tool can help you map out possible transitions based on real data.

Here’s how it works:

Search for “LinkedIn Career Explorer” in your browser.
Enter your location and your current role (e.g., “Management Consultant, New York City”).
Browse the list of common career moves made by professionals in that role and location.

For example, many consultants transition into program management in tech. Career Explorer not only shows you this pathway but also highlights the skills you already have, the skills you need to develop, and which ones recruiters value most.

Pro tip: Add the missing skills from Career Explorer to your LinkedIn profile. Recruiters actively search by skill sets, so aligning your profile with in-demand competencies boosts your chances of being found.

Another bonus—Career Explorer lists LinkedIn-approved job titles. If your company gave you a non-standard title (e.g., “Torso Account Strategist”), you can swap it for a recruiter-friendly one (e.g., “Key Account Manager”) without misrepresenting your role.

Feature #5: Take LinkedIn Skill Assessments

LinkedIn’s Skill Assessments are still underutilized, but they carry significant weight with recruiters. Here’s why:

Each assessment includes 15 multiple-choice questions.
Scoring in the top 30% earns you a Skill Badge.
Recruiters searching for that skill will see profiles with badges ranked higher than those without.

This means someone with a badge in “Excel” may appear above another candidate with only endorsements.

For early-career professionals, the must-have assessments include:

Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft Outlook

For experienced professionals, it depends on your industry. Creatives can focus on Adobe tools or AutoCAD, marketers on Google Ads and Analytics, and tech professionals on cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Pro tip: New assessments are regularly added. Check back often and expand your badges to strengthen your profile.

Feature #6: Use the Career Break Option (Strategically)

Employment gaps happen. Instead of leaving them unexplained, LinkedIn now offers a Career Break option under the Experience section. You can select from categories like caregiving, travel, or skill development and provide context.

While this is helpful, consider how it affects first impressions. A profile headline that says “Career Break” or “Position Eliminated” may not inspire confidence.

An alternative approach is to:

Add a new “Experience” entry.
Use the job title to indicate the roles you’re seeking (e.g., “Marketing Specialist | Open to Opportunities”).
Set the company name as “LinkedIn” (so you get a professional-looking icon).
Use the description to summarize what you’ve been doing—freelance projects, skill-building, volunteer work—quantified with metrics where possible.

This proactive strategy frames your career break as forward-looking and positions you as someone actively preparing for their next role.

Feature #7: Showcase Your Resume and Portfolio in the Featured Section

The Featured section isn’t just for influencers or content creators. For job seekers, it’s the perfect place to showcase your resume, portfolio, or case studies.

To add your resume:

Go to your Featured section.
Click Add a Link and paste the Google Drive URL of your resume.
Add a simple title like “My Resume” and upload a clean thumbnail image.
Leave the description blank so visitors only need to click once to access it.

This makes your resume instantly accessible to recruiters who land on your profile. You can also add links to a personal website, portfolio, or professional social profiles.

Feature #8: Personalize Every Connection Request

Last but not least: when sending connection requests—especially from the mobile app—avoid the generic “I’d like to connect with you” message. It feels impersonal and drastically reduces your acceptance rate.

Instead, always personalize your invite. Mention a shared group, a mutual interest, or a specific reason you want to connect. For example:

“Hi Sarah, I came across your profile in our university alumni group. I’m exploring opportunities in digital marketing and would love to learn more about your experience at Google.”

This small effort makes a big difference in whether people accept your request and engage with you.

Conclusion: Unlock LinkedIn’s Hidden Potential

Most job seekers only scratch the surface of LinkedIn’s capabilities. They upload a resume, send a few connection requests, and hope for the best. But by leveraging features like group messaging, alumni searches, skill assessments, and the Featured section, you can transform LinkedIn into an active career accelerator.

The best part? None of these strategies require LinkedIn Premium. They’re free, powerful, and available to anyone willing to put in the effort.

If you’re serious about standing out in a competitive job market, start implementing these eight features today. Your next opportunity might be just one LinkedIn message—or one skill badge—away.

Kalaivani Ramprasad
ATVM Workforce

Categories: : LinkedIn