After a few years of giving XING a good run, I decided to return to LinkedIn. XING was great for job hunting in the DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) region, but not so much for social media engagement and global networking. Moreover, LinkedIn has a global presence that cannot be beat, which in my field is crucial since I have contacts around the world. Lastly, I found that most people I know through my career and commercial pursuits are on LinkedIn, not XING.
To further explain the benefits of LinkedIn over XING, here is a summary:
Global Reach and Talent Pool
LinkedIn’s biggest advantage is its worldwide presence, which is unparalleled by XING’s regional focus.
- Vastly Larger User Base: LinkedIn has a global community of over a billion members across more than 200 countries, compared to XING, which is primarily focused on the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).
- International Opportunities: For professionals seeking international roles, remote work, or jobs at multinational companies, LinkedIn offers access to a significantly broader range of recruiters and job listings outside the German-speaking area. XING’s relevance quickly diminishes outside the DACH region.
- Diversity of Industries: LinkedIn caters to a more diverse spectrum of industries globally, with particularly strong representation in fields like Technology, Finance, Marketing, and Consulting, which often have an international focus.
Content, Engagement, and Thought Leadership
LinkedIn is a more dynamic, content-driven platform that supports building a personal brand and establishing thought leadership.
- Higher User Activity: LinkedIn users are generally more active and engaged with business content, with surveys often showing a higher percentage of regular users than on XING. This means your profile and content are more likely to be seen.
- Content Creation and Sharing: LinkedIn is built for sharing various content formats like articles, posts, videos, and polls, allowing professionals to showcase their expertise, share insights, and engage in industry discussions. XING is historically more static, functioning more as an online business address book or CV.
- Thought Leadership: You can actively build a personal brand and become a thought leader in your field by consistently publishing and interacting on LinkedIn, which significantly boosts your visibility to recruiters and potential business partners.
Advanced Features and Functionality
LinkedIn offers more sophisticated tools for career development, job searching, and networking.
- Advanced Job Search and Recruiting Tools: LinkedIn provides highly differentiated search filters (including skills, career level, and company insights) that are often considered more powerful than XING’s. It also features AI-driven recommendations and tools like LinkedIn Learning for skill development.
- Networking and Content Groups: While XING offers strong regional groups and events, LinkedIn provides access to vast global professional communities and online events, facilitating networking beyond local borders.
- Profile Features: LinkedIn’s profiles are often seen as more comprehensive, featuring detailed skill endorsements, recommendations, and multimedia elements that allow for a richer presentation of your career journey.
In conclusion, while XING is generally the superior platform for targeted networking and local job searches within the DACH region, LinkedIn is the clear choice for career professionals prioritizing global reach, active content engagement, and a wide array of advanced career development tools.
I am delighted to be back on LinkedIn and look forward to connecting with you there!