LinkedIn rolls out ‘Career Advice’ for 45 mn members

New Delhi: Microsoft-owned professional networking platform LinkedIn on Wednesday rolled out its "Career Advice" feature in India that will help its over 45 million members in the country seek professional guidance from experienced mentors. Piloted in Bengaluru, the move is aimed at addressing the current mentorship gap in India.

According to a new LinkedIn survey, youth in the age group 25-33 are experiencing professional crisis in steering their careers in the right direction. More than 70 per cent of professionals in their early 20s and 30s say they are keen on seeking advice on their next career move but do not know where to go for answers.

"'Career Advice' allows our members to lean in on experienced individuals on the network and get guidance on anything from product development, design input, to what your next job and career move should be," explained Akshay Kothari, Country Manager and Head of Product, LinkedIn India. Nearly 58 per cent said in the survey that they felt pressure to succeed in their career, and finding a job or career that they are passionate about was the number one cause of anxiety.

About 57 per cent agreed that they do not have the right connections to find a mentor. With "Career Advice", LinkedIn makes it easier to connect members across the network for quality advice. This is how "Career Advice" works. The new "Career Advice Hub" will appear in the dashboard of a member's LinkedIn profile. Members can state what advice they are looking for or what advice they can offer.

LinkedIn, which has over 530 million users globally, will recommend a personalised list of members who can help based on their preferences, interests and experience. Once a suitable match is found, members can engage with each other via LinkedIn Messaging and get or give career advice. "Career Advice" is now available to the members in India, the US, the UK and Australia on both mobile and desktop, and will roll out globally in the coming months.