LinkedIn's latest acquisition will train you for your dream job
LinkedIn has always been helpful if you're seeking a job, but now it can train you for one too, thanks to a $1.5 billion deal to acquire Lynda.com. That site offers nearly 3,500 courses by subscription on subjects ranging from web design to leadership body language, all taught by industry experts. Citing the obvious synergy between the companies, LinkedIn said that the deal would help job-seekers "know what skills are need for available jobs in a desired city... and then be prompted to take the relevant and accredited courses to acquire this skill."
It's not clear yet how the acquisition will directly affect LinkedIn users. The company has attracted criticism in the past for being annoying and lacking in privacy features, though it recently instituted blocking to help users avoid stalkers. However, LinkedIn did say that it has a grand plan help members spot and train for jobs through a new program it calls "the economic graph." It added that the $1.5 billion deal is "our largest to date."
[Image credit: Associated Press/Mark Lennihan]
