LinkedIn is tapping into the jobless in Hollywood to boost its social network, the New York Times reports.
Strikes, layoffs and a general downturn in the entertainment business have opened up a new demographic ripe for the picking.
The site is making a big push in L.A., with lectures and appearances at the Los Angeles Film Festival, a Film Independent workshop, and events associated with both the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America.
LinkedIn has so far been keeping it professional compared to rival networks, giving them a unique position in the job-hunting and networking markets. The other side of that coin is that it doesn't have the "Must Log In Daily" cachet of rival (and considerably less stodgy) social networks likeMySpace and Facebook which also provide networking environments.
So tapping into a vibrant, bottomless professional networking crowd like job-seeking entertainment industry types might be just the ticket.
“Because so many people are looking for work, entertainment is an area that’s ripe for people to be ambitious and entrepreneurial,” said Rob Getzschman, LinkedIn’s entertainment market manager.
Can Hollywood Help LinkedIn?[New York Times]
Photo: Flickr/chang-er
