Today SAP and LinkedIn have struck a deal in which LinkedIn will provide the software vendor’s channel partners with recruiting and business social networking services. The announcement marks the first collaboration effort between the two companies since October 2008, when SAP Ventures took part in the social network’s largest funding round to date.
According to the statement, SAP partners with up to 1,000 employees will benefit from the LinkedIn Recruiter Basic Starter Package, an online service that allows recruiters to search the social network’s directory for a candidate based on preassigned attributes and criteria. The package also includes a simple job posting service referred to as LinkedIn Jobs Network. Pricing information was not mentioned specifically in the release, but it appears that the services will be offered at a discounted rate.
The announcement marks a huge step in LinkedIn’s mission to build enterprise appeal. Until recently, only the most Web savvy companies have truly taken advantage of LinkedIn’s potential in sales, CRM, recruiting, and other everyday business activities. The social network now claims that over 1,000 companies currently utilize the network, and with the recent help of SAP the service is set for a whole new level of business exposure.