While I usually post various ‘how-to’ articles on career and professional development, I felt that it was important to highlight the on-goings within the business sector today. Just recently, it has been reported that the global tech-giant Microsoft was able to acquire LinkedIn Corporations, announcing that they have entered a definitive agreement under which Microsoft will acquire LinkedIn for $196 per share in an all-cash transaction at a value of $26.2 billion dollars. While LinkedIn will still retain its distinct brand, culture, and independence, millions of people across a variety of different sectors are asking the $26.2 billion dollar question: What is next with LinkedIn?
To begin, we have to look at the remarkable growth that LinkedIn has accrued since its launch back in May 5, 2003. Starting off as a simple platform for professional networking, this Web 2.0 social media networking service has taken the world by storm with more than 400 million users to date. For many people, especially young professionals, LinkedIn provides hundreds of millions of users with the ability to connect with the world’s professionals and top companies in order to make more productive and successful growth within their soon-to-be established fields. In addition to networking, overall site allows users to create their professional profile and control their top search results for their name. But with social media becoming an ever-evolving monster, we have to consider the other possible changes LinkedIn will make to its platform in the future.
While Microsoft and LinkedIn do come from two different worlds, their goals and visions for the future are same. Like LinkedIn, Microsoft wants to power people and organizations to achieve more. With LinkedIn’s underlying goal of professional networking, Microsoft looks to leverage LinkedIn’s identity with strong and viable features where users can utilize Microsoft products such as Word, Excel, Skype, and Outlook for their daily use. For them, their idea connects to simple and short phrase, “a single source of truth.” With these new features, LinkedIn can continue to provide a stronger podium that provides definitive features for young professional to further connect and brand themselves in the most professional manner.
Another promising feature that was discussed was their overall enhancement for an ‘intelligent news feed.’ With LinkedIn Pulse (launched back in 2013) being an already great source for professional information, an intelligent newsfeed of this caliber can generate better-targeted content for each user so that they can stay up-to-date with any information or news within their specific fields.
Regardless of how you feel, this partnership between the two tech-companies will be a fantastic opportunity in connecting various users with the world’s professionals. In my opinion, LinkedIn working with Microsoft is probably the best option. With the site undergoing various criticisms the past few years, the new objectives and visions for the future seem highly positive. All we can do now is wait and see what LinkedIn will have in store for us this year.