After graduating, aiming for a career with a six figure salary is often one of the things young professionals look for. Even those who are already tenured in their respective fields hope to earn more than they currently are.
Which is why LinkedIn is set to help professionals reach their full earning potential. The professional and social network is adding a new feature that will be useful in tracking salary levels in your field and comparing or stacking them against other people in your field.
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, LinkedIn launched the new Salary feature. The professional platform aims to make sure its 460 million members maximize their earning and career potential, cites CNet. The feature is available to LinkedIn members in the US, UK and Canada and is expected to roll out worldwide next year.
Before launching the feature, LinkedIn tested it to a select few. Ryan Sandler, the product manager of the feature, and his team, emailed certain members asking them to anonymously disclose their income. After the members did so, they were provided a sneak peek into what other people and peers in their fields are receiving in terms of salary.
Rather than asking your peers or managers directly how much they earn, this neat little salary feature is much more appropriate. The Salary feature lets you compare your salary with people in the same field, or those with similar jobs to that of your own. It also lets you find out if education level, location, experience, certifications and more may, or may not, play a role in your salary grade. For example, a software engineer with a Master's Degree may not earn more compared with someone without a Mater's Degree.
Sandler even uses registered nurses in Sacramento as an example. These nurses are paid an average of 50% more than registered nurses in New York City. According to Sandler, the cost of living is not the issue but more of a supply & demand scenario in Sacramento.
This neat little feature can help professionals gauge their career profile. It is most especially helpful when LinkedIn users are trying to find a new job, relocate to a different area, or are trying to learn new skills.
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