LinkedIn, an online social network for professionals, said it has surpassed the one-million professional member milestone in Saudi Arabia.

The growing LinkedIn member base in the kingdom is indicative of the growing interest in professional networking as well as the depth of talent that the country has to offer, said a statement.

According to LinkedIn data analysis, the platform is used by specific groups and professionals with diverse skill sets.

The analysis found that the top three skills found on profiles in Saudi Arabia are management, sales and training; and the top three universities whose students are on LinkedIn King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Jamiat Al-Malik Saud and Jamiat Al-Malik Abdulaziz.

It also found that the top three industries members belong to construction, oil and Energy, and healthcare; and the top three companies with the most number of employees on the network include Saudi Aramco, Sabic and Saudi Telecom Company (STC).

In addition, the growing adoption of smart devices in Saudi Arabia has led to an increase in the number of LinkedIn members accessing the platform from mobile devices, said the statement.

“It’s great to see over a million Saudi-based professionals already using LinkedIn to give them the edge, not just in looking for new jobs, but to make them more productive and successful in the job they already have,” said Ali Matar, head of Talent Solutions, LinkedIn Mena.

“Across the Mena region, we have grown to nine million members from five million at the time of launching our regional operations and this expanding network of professionals will help professionals in Saudi to discover opportunities from right across the region, build relationships in a professional context and drive growth for the local economy,” added Matar.

Saudi-based entities including The Ministry of Commerce and Saudi Telecom Company (STC) are utilising LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions to identify and recruit top talent in the country, said the statement. - TradeArabia News Service