Best LinkedIn alternatives
LinkedIn has long been the go-to platform for professionals, after all, it has over 800 million users across the globe and has a firm monopoly on the recruitment world. No other platform comes close.
However, slowly, many professionals are turning to industry-specific platforms as alternatives to LinkedIn, where they can connect and network with those in their space.
From a recruiter’s perspective, it’s important to cover all your bases when finding candidates. Here are alternative platforms to use to find candidates and expand your reach.
1. GitHub
GitHub is a platform with an abundance of software engineer talent. So much so, that it beats LinkedIn solely on the number of software engineers that use the platform.
Number of users: 65 Million
Key feature: GitHub acts as a living portfolio. Recruiters can see a developer's code contributions to public or private repositories, allowing them to assess technical skills, coding style Open Source Contributions
2. X
X is one of the biggest social media platforms and is an underrated tool when it comes to sourcing candidates. Recently, it unveiled a new recruitment feature called X Hiring and has over 1 million live jobs on the platform. It’s safe to say candidates will be using it a lot more, so get in there early.
Number of users: 353 million
Key feature: Access millions of candidates worldwide and send free messages
3. Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow is a question-and-answer website specifically for programmers. The platform has a vast repository of coding questions and answers submitted by programmers worldwide and serves as another great place for finding tech talent.
Number of users: 20 million
Key feature: Stack Overflow uses a robust tagging system, allowing users to categorize questions by programming language, framework, or specific topic
4. Reddit
Reddit is a large social media platform known for its lively online communities and niche forums. The platform boasts a vast array of subreddits (communities) dedicated to virtually every topic, profession, and industry imaginable.
From programming languages to marketing strategies, professionals gather to discuss trends, share knowledge, and troubleshoot problems. It can be a goldmine for recruiters.
Number of users: 330 million
Key feature: Reddit has specific subreddit communities where recruiters can post jobs and have tons of candidates apply for free
5. XING
XING is a professional networking platform just like LinkedIn but for those in the DACH (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) region. It has detailed and up-to-date profiles, often including educational background, professional certifications, and a strong focus on achievements and skills.
Number of users: 22 million
Key feature: Xing's job board is a popular platform for European companies seeking talent. Recruiters can post job openings, target specific profiles, and utilize advanced boolean search filters to find candidates at a fraction of LinkedIn’s pricing
6. Kaggle
Kaggle is a unique online community specifically designed for data scientists and machine learning enthusiasts. The platform enables its users to compete in challenging machine learning and data science competitions, pushing boundaries and showcasing their expertise.
Number of users: 17 million
Key feature: The ‘Discussions’ feature, similar to Reddit, which is an in-house forum for discussing machine learning topics including sharing feedback, asking questions, and more
7. Medium
Medium is a unique online space that blends blogging with the engagement features of social media.
The platform boasts a vast library of articles, essays, and stories on virtually any topic. From established authors to everyday people with unique perspectives, Medium empowers a diverse range of voices to share their knowledge and experiences
Number of users: 100 million
Key feature: Medium allows you to discover a candidate's unique interests by reading their articles
Be sure to check out all these LinkedIn alternatives and leave no stone unturned when it comes to finding candidates.
Start your search today.
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