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LinkedIn

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LinkedIn
File:LinkedIn logo.gif
Type of site
Social network service
Employees20
URLhttp://www.linkedin.com/
CommercialYes

LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003[1] mainly used for professional networking. As of December 2007, its site traffic was 3.2 million visitors per month, growing at an annual growth rate of about 485%.[2] As of January 2008, it had more than 17 million registered users,[3] spanning 150 industries. [citation needed]

Company info

LinkedIn's CEO is Dan Nye. As of February, 2008 founder and former CEO Reid Hoffman, previously an executive vice president of PayPal, remains President of Product and Chairman of the Board.[citation needed] LinkedIn is located in Mountain View, California, and funded[4]by Greylock, Sequoia Capital,[5] Bessemer Venture Partners, and the European Founders Fund. LinkedIn reached profitability in March 2006.[6]

Features

The purpose of the site is to allow registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. The people in the list are called Connections. Users can invite anyone (whether a site user or not) to become a connection.

This list of connections can then be used in a number of ways:

  • A contact network is built up consisting of their direct connections, the connections of each of their connections (termed second degree connections) and also the connections of second degree connections (termed third degree connections). This can be used to gain an introduction to someone you wish to know through a mutual, trusted contact.
  • It can then be used to find jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in one's contact network.
  • Employers can list jobs and search for potential candidates.
  • Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.

The "gated-access approach" (where contact with any professional requires either a preexisting relationship, or the intervention of a contact of theirs) is intended to build trust among the service's users. LinkedIn participates in EU's International Safe Harbor Privacy Principles.[7]

The feature LinkedIn Answers,[8] similar to Google Answers or Yahoo! Answers, allows users to ask questions for the community to answer. This feature is free and the main differences from the two previously mentioned services are that questions are potentially more business-oriented, and the identity of the people asking and answering questions is known.

Privacy issues

  • Non-members can check whether or not a person is a member. As of August 2007, this feature can be disabled.[9]
  • There is no automated way to remove oneself from LinkedIn. The official method is to file a customer support ticket.[10]
  • It is not clear that invitation messages are actually from the individual they claim to be from.

Sites with comparable features

There are several websites that offer online business networking, including ryze, XING, Plaxo, Yahoo! Kickstart and, increasingly Facebook. LinkedIn answers is comparable to Yahoo! Answers. Various websites such as CareerBuilder.com, Yahoo! HotJobs, Monster.com have job search functions. Many websites have reputation systems and online social networking.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Linked-In - Profile". alarm:clock. 2004-08-06. Retrieved 2008-01-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ The Private Equity Value of LinkedIn.com to News Corp and the Wall Street Journal, by Beckel, Simon Dec 2007
  3. ^ "What is LinkedIn?". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2008-01-17.
  4. ^ Social networking site LinkedIn plans IPO | LinkedIn IPO
  5. ^ "Press Release about Sequoia Capital Investing in LinkedIn". Retrieved 2007-11-14.
  6. ^ LinkedIn: Press Releases: LinkedIn Premium Services Finding Rapid Adoption
  7. ^ "Privacy Policy". LinkedIn. July 14, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ “LinkedIn Answers” unlocks the world’s best source of business knowledge: trusted professionals
  9. ^ The LinkedIn Blog: Top 5 LinkedIn Privacy Topics
  10. ^ LinkedIn privacy policy, section "Accessing and Changing Your Account Information"
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