Job search on LinkedIn? Microsoft says its ChatGPT bot will talk to you and help you find right job

LinkedIn is introducing AI-powered tools to enhance the job search experience. A chatbot, functioning as a virtual career coach, offers guidance on job opportunities, skills improvement, and company information. These tools aim to address job-seekers' common concerns and boost confidence in pursuing opportunities.

Tomer Cohen, LinkedIn's Chief Product Officer, emphasizes that these AI tools aim to provide not just information but also confidence, according to Quartz. They bridge the gap between job-seekers and job openings, streamlining the job search process.

However, the job search feature is only available for Premium LinkedIn members. The company is also launching "Takeaways," an AI feature that provides personalized post summaries with tailored advice. This empowers users with knowledge to enhance their professional growth.

Besides, LinkedIn recently announced another round of layoffs, impacting around 668 positions in engineering, product, talent, and finance departments. These job cuts come as LinkedIn grapples with sluggish year-over-year revenue growth spanning eight consecutive quarters.

Despite steady membership growth over the past two years, Microsoft, LinkedIn's parent company, reported a mere 5 percent revenue increase in the second quarter. To enhance revenue, Microsoft will concentrate on operational improvements and key initiatives. These layoffs at LinkedIn align with the company's FY 24 plan.

"Talent changes are a difficult, but necessary and regular part of managing our business. The changes we shared with our team today will result in a reduction of approximately 668 roles across our engineering, product, talent and finance teams," said linkedIn in its official blog post.

The layoffs at LinkedIn, which represent 3 per cent of the company's workforce, come in addition to the 10,000 job cuts that Microsoft announced in January and July. The company's overall revenue growth has slipped in recent months, pushing CEO Satya Nadella to lower costs across the company and prioritise revenue.

In an official memo viewed by CNBC, LinkedIn's executives Mohak Shroff and Tomer Cohen wrote, "As we continue to execute on our FY24 plan, we need to also evolve how we work and what we prioritise so we can deliver on the key initiatives we've identified that will have an outsized impact in achieving our business goals. This means adapting our organisational structures to improve agility and accountability, establishing unambiguous ownership and driving improved efficiency and transparency through reduced layering."