Landing a new job in this economy is a full-time job. The job data looks grim, and the general sentiment is worse. It calls for a change of strategy, a switch to relationship-building rather than mass applying. This has always been important, but it's critical now. 

When I heard that LinkedIn had added AI features for job seekers and searchers, I knew I had to test it out. I've used AI in many parts of the job-searching experience, including to write a resume, create a cover letter, offer career advice and generate a professional headshot. 

While I'm not looking for a new job, I'm always on the hunt for new opportunities, connections and business buddies. There's a lot of untapped territory on LinkedIn, like the AI job search and AI-powered people search, both launched in the past few months. There's also AI profile editing tools, drafting messages with AI (but be careful not to add to the AI slop online) and verified AI skills badges.

I had a chance to chat with Patrick Whelan, LinkedIn group product manager, Careers Products & Jobs Marketplace. He says it's a heightened moment of uncertainty, with job seekers of all ages feeling more unprepared now than at any point during the pandemic. 

"Job seekers need a new playbook, one in which they're being more strategic about a fewer number of opportunities they're a really good fit for," Whelan says. 

In the context of LinkedIn, this change of strategy means having a profile that reflects what you can do and what you want and sends trust signals to hirers. It then focuses on the jobs you're a unique fit for, using the AI tool to connect with people on the inside who can advocate for you. 

Let's see it in action.

How to use LinkedIn's AI job search 

Instead of simply scanning the job page, you can use natural language the way you would describe to a friend what you're looking for. 

For example, in the search bar, you could browse "writer jobs in health care startups." 

When I tried that prompt, LinkedIn's AI tool found a bunch of different writing jobs across the health care sector:

You can take it one step further by narrowing your request using the buttons LinkedIn generates, or adding more context to the original prompt. For example, I added "women's health and fertility" for extra personalization. 

It found more jobs and added more categories at the top to further refine my search. 

The second part of the AI job search is the job match feature. This is handy, because although it found me more fertility jobs, the job match was low.

The AI tool examines your profile and compares it to the job requirements in order to help you get a quick sense of whether you're a good fit. If you're a top applicant, it'll give you details as to why. 

This is what the high job match looks like:

When you select the in-job buttons, it opens a side window where you can show match details, help you stand out, tailor your resume and create a cover letter. 

Whelan says it gives Premium members extra insight by telling them when they're a top applicant. 

"It's basically saying, 'Hey, if you were to apply, you're more likely to hear back based on everything we know about you and what we know on the hiring side.'" 

The second part of the AI job search tools is Job Tracker, available in the job tab under your profile:

It's basically a dashboard for all your job applications, where you can add notes. It's designed to replace spreadsheets and centralize search. 

For any of these jobs, you can quickly pop into the tracker to find different folks in your network to reach out to. You can see first-degree connections, school alumni, recent hires, etc. 

I also asked Whelan about the Open to Work badge, which can be shared publicly to your entire network or privately to recruiters. If you're job hunting and you don't want your employer to know, LinkedIn has protections in place to ensure your current company can't see it.  

Use AI to activate your network

Beyond the AI job search and tracker, another big feature is the AI-powered people search. Like the job search, the people search is based on natural conversation versus traditional keywords. 

Whelan cites an important stat: "If you know someone at the company you're applying for, you're 3.6 times more likely to get the job, so the network piece is mission critical." 

Back in the home view, you can search for the connections you're looking for. For example, "Femtech CEOs in the United States." It's a great way to find people you might not have immediately thought of. 

Then you can filter it further with the Actively Hiring button (for Premium users):

You can also play around with other AI features like the Write with AI button when you see it, but make sure you always edit it yourself (especially given that AI tools are known to hallucinate and make up facts). AI is great for the legwork of a job search, but when it comes to the connection part, put in the work. It'll help you stand out.