Ask HN: Do you have to use LinkedIn to get hired?

The answer probably depends on the company, I don't remember any company requiring linkedin in their application forms but even if not, it wouldn't hurt to create and account and a rough profile. It would only take like an hour

No. I quit LinkedIn quite a while back when they made my physical location a hard requirement, and it's been a net plus. LI was never a primary job hunting channel, though. Mostly, it's a cesspool of spam.

In recent years though, I've had more inbound interest due to my online presence, and haven't done any proactive job seeking activities.

YMMV. If I were applying to Microsoft, for example, I'd probably create a LI account.

As others have said, in the current climate at least if you have a good linked in profile recruiters will proactively seek you out. And I have indeed found work via these cold call recruiters. But it's not strictly necessary at all.

To me LinkedIn is simply a marketplace for resumes that recruiters research to find people they match to their positions. They then contact you. It's also for maintaining a professional network of current and former work associates to get possible job leads if you're looking or they need to hire.

All the other stuff seems like filler material to me so I ignore it all.

You can probably find a local job on LinkedIn but nothing decent remote.

I found my best remote job due to an announcement right here on HN. My 2nd best (and longest running) due to some open source involvement.

LinkedIn has been terrible in finding jobs. I actually tried to apply to a Google job being suggested to me and was shocked to see that I am being take to another portal to fill-in my data. I would have assumed my data being filled into LinkedIn automatically gets shared with the employees I apply to. Which means LinkedIn it not very practical.