LinkedIn to Auto-Update Profile with Online Education Achievements
LinkedIn recently announced a pilot project to automatically update the profiles of users that take massive open online courses (MOOC) through partnering schools. Some of the schools taking part in this program include Coursera, EdX, lynda.com, Pearson, Skillsoft, Udacity and Udemy.
At the completion of a course, the participant will receive an email link with a certification field. The participant fills in the details and it will be updated to their LinkedIn profile. Personally, I somehow imagined a more “automatic” approach to this program; however, it did get me thinking about the future of online engineering master’s programs.
It would be useful to show potential employers up-to-date information on any online MEM courses you are completing. It can be such a tedious venture manually updating your profile, especially when the majority of people have professional profiles on various sites. If it is ever generally accepted then, this “direct-to-profile certification” process would certainly be a useful tool.
Eric Robison, CEO of Lynda.com, states that “in a competitive employment market where job requirements change quickly, it’s important for professionals to showcase new skills to help advance their current careers or attract prospective employers.”
This competitive market applies to the engineering world now more than ever. Any advantage should be taken, and an updated LinkedIn profile would certainly help.
