Source | www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproject.org | Kim Elsesser
LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner is stepping down from the helm of the social-networking company. He will be assuming the role of executive chairman, and one of his primary goals will be increasing diversity and inclusion in the LinkedIn networks. Weiner calls the lack of diversity in social networks “the network gap,” and he has a vision for how to reduce it.
Networks are critically important in the hiring process. For those who applied for a job on LinkedIn, the company found that those who asked for a referral from someone in their network were a whopping nine times more likely to get the job. It’s all about “who you know.”
But all networks are not equal. You need to have a strong network of people in order to reap the benefits, preferably some with seniority and experience in your chosen field. LinkedIn found three factors that impact the strength of a user’s network: where they grew up, where they go to school and where they work.