Re: Hmm...
“...but I feel like old fashioned references will still work - what makes a profile on linked-in more trustworthy?”
It depends on the location/past-employers - some of my previous employers go out of their way to provide useful references, while other companies who I worked for for a number of years (I believe with some success...) only provide “X worked for us from Y to Z” to all former employees requesting references as HR policy.
LinkedIn has provided future employers a way of verifying the details aren’t completely made up and new employers have general got informal verbal references from colleagues for roles I’ve applied for.
YMMV
Biting the hand that feeds IT
