LinkedIn crosses 30-mn mark in India

This marks a 50% growth over the past two years

LinkedIn, the world’s largest online network of professionals, with 364 million (mn) members globally, said on Thursday it had crossed 30 mn in India.

This is a 50-per cent growth over two years. LinkedIn had 3.4 mn members in 2009, when it began operations in this country. India is actually the largest market for LinkedIn after America, in terms of member base.

The 30 mn represent a diverse cross-section of skills (from management and human resources to testing and training) and industries (from tech to education and automotive), it said.

“We’ve reached a critical mass in India, a country that remains a strategic market for us. But we still have a long way to go, and along the way, we want to continue to add value to the professional journeys of our members. We also see a significant opportunity to collaborate with key players in India in areas such as skill development, so that our members can create an even more significant impact on the economy,” said Nishant Rao, country manager.

Since 2009, LinkedIn has introduced diverse features to help professionals in career journeys — for instance, University Pages, Apply for job on LinkedIn Mobile and Revamped Groups. More recently, it opened a long-form content publishing platform for all members in India.

“We’ve also strengthened our editorial presence in India, increasing our focus on making LinkedIn the definitive platform for professionals to gain knowledge and insights that matter to them,” claimed Rao.

LinkedIn says its research shows 53 per cent of students and young professionals believe the best way to get their first job is through internships.

In line with this finding, LinkedIn has partnered with MTV and other major companies such as Flipkart and L’Oreal to help students find these, and says these partnerships have seen 85,000 students applying for internship opportunities. This partnership saw 85,000 students applying for internship opportunities and taking important first steps in their professional journeys.