LinkedIn Adds Free AI Tools for Job Seekers & Recruiters

The Challenge of Job Searching on LinkedIn

Applying for jobs through LinkedIn can often be discouraging. Many promising positions attract hundreds, even thousands, of applications within hours – a statistic LinkedIn itself highlights. Submitting an application can feel like a futile gesture amidst such intense competition.

LinkedIn's New AI-Powered Tools

To address this, LinkedIn has introduced an AI-driven tool designed to assist job seekers. The new Jobs Match feature offers immediate feedback to its 1 billion users, evaluating whether applying for a specific job is a worthwhile investment of their time.

Alongside this, LinkedIn is launching an AI recruitment agent tailored for smaller businesses. This agent functions as a virtual recruitment team, assisting with job description creation, candidate identification, and application screening.

Importantly, both of these tools are initially available for free, without requiring a paid LinkedIn subscription.

Built on LinkedIn's Own AI Technology

These products are primarily built utilizing LinkedIn’s proprietary AI technology and its extensive first-party data. Rohan Rajiv, a director of product management, indicated that the incorporation of additional data sources may occur in the future.

This approach contrasts with recent LinkedIn initiatives that heavily relied on technology from OpenAI, the AI startup backed by Microsoft – LinkedIn’s parent company.

A History of AI Integration

LinkedIn has a substantial history of integrating AI into its platform. However, previous applications focused on areas like algorithmic recommendations and database management.

These earlier AI tools predate the recent surge in generative AI and the associated consumer-facing services.

Boosting Platform Activity

While previous AI launches aimed to increase user engagement through features like conversation starters and content creation assistance, these new tools focus on improving the efficiency of the job search and recruitment processes.

The goal is to enhance activity on the platform, albeit in a more subtle manner.

Growing Numbers of Job Seekers and Open Roles

Currently, over 5 million LinkedIn users have activated the “Open to Work” feature, a 40% increase year-over-year. Approximately 67 million users actively search for jobs each week.

On the employer side, 2.5 million small businesses utilize LinkedIn for recruitment. These figures are particularly relevant given the recent economic adjustments and job losses – over 152,000 tech sector layoffs occurred in 2024 alone, according to Layoffs.fyi.

Addressing a Critical Pain Point

Despite LinkedIn’s vast user base, the number of active job seekers and recruiters remains relatively small. The platform risks losing momentum in its recruiting business due to the frustrating user experience.

Recruiters are reportedly spending three to five hours daily reviewing applications, with less than half meeting the necessary qualifications. LinkedIn acknowledges this as a significant problem.

Shifting Strategy: From Premium to Accessible

While LinkedIn has previously focused on developing premium features to encourage paid subscriptions, it is now expanding access to AI-powered tools.

The company is making versions of its AI job search and recruitment tools available to all users.

Looking Ahead

The success of these initiatives – measured by increased platform usage for both recruitment and job searching – will be closely monitored.

This move also provides LinkedIn with a valuable argument regarding its commitment to user utility, particularly as scrutiny increases regarding data collection and usage practices.