11 Emerging LinkedIn Trends And How To Prepare For Them

While LinkedIn dominates as the most popular social media site for both job seekers and companies to find networking opportunities and build professional connections, new trends constantly emerge, and the role of the platform is always evolving. To make the most of their LinkedIn presence, users on both sides of the recruiting equation need to stay aware of these trends and know how to leverage them.

For job seekers, tapping into these trends can get you noticed before the rest of the crowd—and in a saturated market, that could mean the difference between landing a job or losing out to other candidates. For recruiters, staying up on trends will help maximize the number of qualified candidates you have access to, which affords a breadth of options.

To find out how job seekers and recruiters can prepare to make the most of them, we asked 11 members of Forbes Coaches Council for their predictions around up-and-coming LinkedIn trends. Here's what they told us.

1. Moving Toward Online Training And Certification
LinkedIn is making its move toward distance education and online training, offering fresh courses such as digital marketing and social media management. Plus, it gives the opportunity to update your new achievement in your profile and connect with people with the same qualifications. Its variety is extensible, and soon enough, LinkedIn will compete with colossal certification organizations. - Jill Douka MBA, MCC, Global Academy Of Coaching

7. Becoming A Unique Source Of Candidates
My crystal ball says that, within five years, companies won't seek applications online; they will just source directly from LinkedIn. They will find the candidates based on algorithmic searching and AI and decide which ones they want to talk to. Candidates should prepare now in two ways: First, make sure your profile has relevant words, and then, learn networking for job search to reach the hiring team. - Dana Manciagli, Job Search Master Class

8. Expediting Social And Professional Proofing
Social and professional proofing will begin to carry greater weight as professionals want to know "who is endorsing this individual." With this, LinkedIn recommendations will begin to become more of a focal point. Recruiters and job seekers can prepare by tailoring their current functions to incorporate (review, consider, rank, track, etc.) recommendations. - Corey Castillo, Truth & Spears

See all 11 trends and the complete Forbes article