For those of you who haven't used it, LinkedIn is a networking site that's designed to connect people for business reasons. I've used it to find sources for articles, to re-connect with old colleagues, or sometimes just to browse around one industry group or another to see who's there. It doesn't replace old-fashioned networking methods like, say, coffee, but it can be a handy tool. And, I find, more and more people are using it from a variety of industries.
It’s hard to gauge exactly what percentage of recruiters have profiles on LinkedIn, given imprecise numbers for the profession. A few years ago, industry publication Recruiter Magazine Online estimated there were 200,000 internal, contract and human resources recruiting professionals working full time for corporations throughout North America, as well as more than 100,000 retained and contingency-based recruiters working at some 25,000 firms.
LinkedIn’s attractiveness to this population has a lot to do with not touting its recruiting role to most users. (Co-founder Konstantin) Guericke and four colleagues started LinkedIn three years ago with a vision of making money from professionals such as recruiters, attorneys and management consultants, who could benefit from a network of high-powered people by pitching their services or snaring job candidates.
The average LinkedIn member, however, would come to the site and use it for free to keep track of colleagues, arrange deals and otherwise make business connections. So far, the plan seems to be working.
LinkedIn’s membership doubled in the past year, and revenue at the site is growing at twice the rate of membership growth, Guericke says. The privately held company, which employs about 70 people, became profitable earlier this year.
Company Profile: Recruiters Get LinkedIn in Search of Job Candidates [Workforce.com]
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