Economic Opportunity - Taryn Oesch

CLOSING DEALS ACQUISITION OF LYNDA.COM FURTHERS LINKEDIN’S MISSION OF CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY - TARYN OESCH This spring, LinkedIn announced its $1.5 people not only find new jobs but become industry. As Ryan Roslansky, LinkedIn’s billion acquisition of Lynda.com, an online better at the jobs they already have. vice president of product management, learning company co-founded in 1995 by wrote, “Imagine being a job seeker and Lynda Weinman and Bruce Heavin. The deal, Jeff Weiner’s ultimate goal for LinkedIn is being able to instantly know what skills which is the largest acquisition in LinkedIn’s to create what he calls an economic graph. are needed for the available jobs in a history, is expected to close this year. The economic graph will digitally portray desired city…and then being prompted economic connections and identify trends to take the relevant and accredited course Lynda.com’s video library of more than in real time. In other words, it will show to help you acquire this skill.” 6,300 courses and 267,000 video tutorials jobs, the skills they require, the companies provides training in business, software, offering them, the people qualified for BOTH LINKEDIN technology and creative skills to its them and the combined knowledge of AND LYNDA.COM HELP subscribers. The company is known for its those companies and people. FILL THE SKILLS GAP high production quality. According to one IN DIFFERENT, BUT Lynda.com instructor, presenters must LinkedIn’s current capabilities include pass a screen test before they are brought posting jobs and information about COMPLEMENTARY, WAYS. on board, and a team of producers and companies and individuals. This year, editors works on each video. the company also expanded its ability to Now, LinkedIn’s 350 million members will share knowledge by enabling any user – be able to access these courses – and they A NATURAL FIT not just “influencers” – to create and post will be able to do so on the same platform content through LinkedIn Pulse. where they find new jobs. Meanwhile, While some may have been surprised by we can speculate that employers may be this acquisition – and its size – both Lynda By acquiring Lynda.com, LinkedIn has able to see on their profiles what Lynda. Weinman and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner moved closer to creating a full economic com courses applicants have completed, have commented on the compatible graph by expanding its content offerings. helping them see what skills the visions of the two companies. In a With Lynda.com, the site will connect its applicants have. LinkedIn post, Weiner described LinkedIn’s users to more content and a different type “fundamental value proposition” as of content: video. Incorporating Lynda.com’s e-learning products brings learning to the forefront “connecting people to opportunity.” BRINGING LEARNING TO of talent acquisition, especially online. As Weinman also noted in a LinkedIn post, TALENT ACQUISITION “Jeff Weiner…and I both believe that interest in e-learning grows, the importance the skills gap is one of the leading social of integrating online learning content with LinkedIn is known as a professional issues of our time.” other online professional resources will network and source of talent acquisition. also become clearer. With its acquisition As LinkedIn’s largest acquisition, the Both companies help fill this skills gap of Lynda.com, LinkedIn is taking a big step acquisition of Lynda.com demonstrates in this direction, filling the skills gap with in different, but complementary, ways. the importance LinkedIn places on LinkedIn connects jobseekers with members who now have increased access learning, especially as a component of to training that will help them accomplish opportunities, and Lynda.com helps talent acquisition. them obtain the skills they need for those their professional goals. opportunities. With the acquisition of Lynda. Integrating e-learning with job seeking Taryn Oesch is an editor at Training Industry, com, LinkedIn will also be able to help has important implications for the Inc. Email Taryn 56.

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