NETWORKING website LinkedIn is to create 100 new jobs over the next year at its international headquarters in Dublin.
The site for business professionals recently passed the 100 million mark for members worldwide and is signing up new users at the rate of one million a week.
LinkedIn employs 70 staff in Dublin, having opened its offices here in early 2010.
The Californian company currently has 15 roles available and is seeking to hire staff in sales, business development, marketing, customer services, finance, HR and operations.
“Finding the right people is an ongoing priority for us as we continue to expand,” said Connie Gibney, international human resources director at LinkedIn. “Luckily, we’re sitting on one of the best tools for discovering great talent.”
Ms Gibney said: “Dublin has proven to be a great place to base ourselves” with access to multilingual staff that has enabled the company to grow rapidly.
LinkedIn is currently available in six languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
Founded in California in 2002 by Reid Hoffman, over half its members now come from outside the US. It is growing strongly in Europe, where it has 20 million members and offices in Britain, France, and the Netherlands, as well as Ireland.
The company is privately held and generates revenues from user subscriptions, advertising on its website and selling services to companies that want to use the site for recruitment.
The expansion confirms Ireland as “the internet capital of Europe”, said Barry O’Leary, chief executive of IDA Ireland. Mr O’Leary said the five largest internet companies in the world now have operations in the country.
“LinkedIn is an excellent addition to the thriving digital media industry operating from Ireland,” said Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
“The creation of 100 jobs by a leading global internet company across a wide range of business functions is very welcome indeed and will provide employment opportunities for highly skilled staff in an exciting and innovative business,” Mr Bruton said.
