LinkedIn, the social media network owned by Microsoft Corp that focuses on business professionals, said on Monday it plans to cut 716 jobs in its sales, operations and support teams as part of broader changes that will also result in phasing out its local jobs app in China. The move comes amid a “weakening global economic outlook and a drop in demand.”
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The employment-focused social network had laid off workers in its recruiting department in February.
Company’s chief executive Ryan Roslansky, in a letter, said the step was aimed at streamlining the operations of the firm. In a period of last six months, firms including Alphabet, Amazon and LinkedIn’s parent Microsoft have announced layoffs.
Roslansky further wrote, “With the market and customer demand fluctuating more, and to serve emerging and growth markets more effectively, we are expanding the use of vendors.” He also said that the changes would result in creating 250 new jobs to which employees affected by the cuts in its sales, operations and support teams would be eligible to apply.
After mostly withdrawing from China in 2021, citing a “challenging environment”, the remaining app called InCareers will also be phased out by 9 August. InCareers only covers the Chinese market.
A LinkedIn spokesperson said the firm will keep a presence in China to help companies operating there to hire and train employees outside the country. LinkedIn has been the only major Western social-media platform operating in China.
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