With its $26 billion acquisition of LinkedIn getting the thumbs up from EU regulators, Microsoft is wasting no time in integrating the social platform with its productivity software.
The goal — as described by the tech giant’s CEO Satya Nadella — is to utilize LinkedIn’s networking and learning resources to help people “develop new skills online, find new jobs, and easily connect and collaborate.”
The feature that could turn out to be Microsoft’s master stroke is its planned incorporation of LinkedIn’s profile and job search functions with Microsoft Word. Ultimately, this will allow users who are drafting their resumes to update their online profiles and discover and apply for jobs from within the software. In terms of convenience, if handled well, it could eliminate the annoying process of having to update your resume both offline and online.
Nadella claims your LinkedIn identity and network will be available across Outlook and the Office suite. LinkedIn notifications will also appear within the Windows Action Center.
Elsewhere, LinkedIn Learning (a premium platform built upon the site’s Lynda.com database of online courses) will be available to Office 365 subscribers. Also available will be LinkedIn Lookup, a contacts platform for work colleagues released in the form of a mobile app last year, which will be powered by Microsoft Active Directory. Additionally, LinkedIn Sales Navigator will be combined with Dynamics 365 to enable social selling.
Nadella also mentioned tapping into LinkedIn’s business content to develop a “news desk.” This could rely on the articles produced by LinkedIn Influencers, and general members, across Microsoft’s content ecosystem, and MSN.com.
Addressing the parallels between the two companies, Nadella said the following: “Today I am even more enthusiastic about the common mission and sense of purpose we share, the similarities in our cultures, and the added value we can create for LinkedIn members, to help professionals transform how they work, realize new career opportunities, and connect in new ways.”
Since the announcement of its takeover by Microsoft in June, LinkedIn has promised a series of changes to its platform, including a redesign of its desktop site, an automated “interest feed,” and a smart messaging system.
