LinkedIn CEO says that job seekers are sending out 30% more applications than pre-pandemic—and it’s harder to ‘know who can actually do the job’

LinkedIn's CEO Dan Shapero recently informed the Wall Street Journal that job seekers are now sending out 30% more applications than they did before the pandemic. While this flood of applicants is due in part to the use of AI, Shapero claims it is becoming increasingly difficult for employers to identify genuinely qualified candidates.

As professionals scramble to navigate a shrinking job market, the number of available U.S. job openings reached a five-month low of 7.08 million in August. Moreover, hiring rates are near a 10-year low, leading to a scenario where job seekers quickly pursue new opportunities when they surface.

To improve their odds of success, many job seekers have started utilizing AI tools, such as resume and cover letter editing, interview practice, and career guidance. In fact, nearly two-thirds of these job seekers employ AI in these areas. However, the increased use of AI by both job seekers and recruiters has created a bottleneck that makes it more challenging for employers to discern between candidates.

With many hiring managers now relying on AI to sift through hundreds or thousands of applicants, the process has transformed into an "AI arms race."

Greenhouse's chief people officer, Sharawn Tipton, revealed that around 63% of U.S. job seekers have been interviewed by AI, an increase of 13% from just six months prior. While AI helps streamline the hiring process, Tipton pointed out that it creates a trust gap between recruiters and candidates, as technology progresses faster than efforts to manage the change. The consequences of this imbalance predominantly affect the job seekers themselves.