Professional networking on the go
LinkedIn - the professional social network that everyone loves to hate. This version for Android will let you keep tabs on your career whether you’re in the office or on the move, but is it really necessary for the average employee?
Professional social networking, job hunting, and career development
Most readers will have a LinkedIn account, but whether you use it regularly or it’s wasting away in the background is less easy to predict. LinkedIn for Android brings all the benefits of the social/professional network to your phone, offering a clear, usable interface that allows you to do everything you can from a desktop. Installation is simple - download the app, enter your pre-existing login details (or set up an account if you’re new), and LinkedIn is ready to go.
You can get started quickly if you’ve already set up a LinkedIn account elsewhere. The phone interface is straightforward and it won’t take long before you’re navigating the app as smoothly as you do on a computer. If you’re setting up an account for the first time, however, it’s more complicated. Not only will you have to set up the login details of your new LinkedIn account, but you’ll also have to fill out your profile and connect with your colleagues. This is a more complex procedure and is easier to do well on a desktop.
Once you have an account to explore, finding your way around LinkedIn will be easy. The main screen is a newsfeed, where you see what your connections are up to, interact with their posts, and make posts of your own. The bar at the bottom of the screen brings you through the various sections of the app - your network (finding and accepting new connections), the notifications tray, and the jobs section. The center button is a “quick add” option for posting something to the feed.
Messaging, a major part of LinkedIn for many, is housed in the upper right corner, while all the other options, including your profile, your account, any pages you manage, groups you’re in, and events you’re part of, are on the left, accessed by clicking your profile picture. Accessing any of these sections will give you the opportunity to edit and interact with it almost as easily as you would from the desktop. All app-specific settings, like notifications, ads, and privacy, are accessed via the cog in the upper right once you’re inside your profile section.
In all, LinkedIn for Android is a really nice app to use. It gives you access to almost all of the same features offered by the web version and does this within an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. That said, it’s worth bearing in mind that you can not access LinkedIn Learning through the app - you must download that app separately.
Where can you run this program?
This version of LinkedIn is for phones running Android 5 and up. It’s also available for other platforms, including Windows and iPhone.
Is there a better alternative
You could theoretically access the LinkedIn website via the browser on your phone, but it’s not a better option. The app is specifically designed to be useful on the smaller screen and, as such, does its job really well. If you want to use LinkedIn on your phone, it’s the best option.
Our take
LinkedIn for Android is a great app. It’s full of features, looks good, and is easy to use. With the exception of LinkedIn Learning and extensive editing jobs (for example, setting up a profile from scratch), it does everything that the website does and is just as easy to use.
Should you download it?
Yes, if you use LinkedIn often enough that you’d like to access it on the go, you’re in luck - it’s a great app. If you’re an occasional LinkedIn user, it’s still a great app, but there’s probably no need to have it on your phone.
