Talent Pros, If AI Change Is Making Your Head Spin, You’re Not Alone

By Tiffany Poeppleman, Director of Career Development at LinkedIn

Just when you get comfortable managing one challenge, the next obstacle seems to be rolling in. If you’re feeling overwhelmed — you’re in good company. Many talent professionals are feeling the same way.

Frankly, change has been our constant for many years. 

We made it through a pandemic. 

We've continued to navigate hybrid work. 

We’ve stayed agile in the face of economic uncertainty. 

And now, AI is our new constant. The latest LinkedIn survey data tells us 46% of global professionals are already using AI in their job today. We’re tackling what our people need and want, all while determining what AI means for our own jobs.

Yep, that’s a lot and can make anyone’s head spin.

As AI enters the mainstream of work, it’s changing how we do our jobs and the skills we need to be successful. LinkedIn’s new AI at Work report shows that the skills required for many jobs will change by 65% by 2030 due to the proliferation of new AI tools and applications. 

So, what’s the game plan? First, we need to learn new skills. Embracing AI tools and applications for our own jobs and talent organizations will be a great place to start. Second, we need to do what we do best and learn from one another. 

Leaning on our community for support and inspiration will allow us to tackle whatever challenges come our way. Here are three resources to help you understand what other talent pros are thinking and doing so you can prepare for this new wave of AI-related change. Let’s dive in. 

Watch LinkedIn’s Most Popular AI Courses

We all want to stay relevant. To grow our careers. To position ourselves for new opportunities. And AI is now a part of that. The question is: where do you start?

If you’re looking to upskill yourself or your employees on AI, check out the new article on the LinkedIn Talent Blog, How LinkedIn’s Most Popular AI Courses Can Shape Your Organization’s Upskilling Strategy. 

Sonya Bessalel shares LinkedIn’s top 10 AI courses in 2023 that learners around the world have taken  — and provides takeaways for talent pros. 

The courses — including How to Research and Write Using Generative AI Tools, Generative AI for Business Leaders, and Nano Tips for Using ChatGPT for Business — detail tactical tips, like how to write clear prompts that lead to better responses in ChatGPT. For me personally, experimenting with good prompts has been a game changer. 

Sonya’s analysis adds some unique thinking on what AI’s prevalence means for talent development strategies. For example, if you want to upskill more employees on AI, try Terri Horton’s three-step approach to scale AI knowledge across levels and departments. 

Maybe best of all, you’re bound to find sparks of encouragement, like this from Dave Birss, instructor of the No. 1 most popular course on the list: “It’s the people who understand how to collaborate with AI that will have a real advantage over the next few years.” 

That’s one critical advantage I believe we can all get behind.

Save your spot at LinkedIn’s Talent Connect Show in October

What do Spike Lee, New Zealand’s former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, and LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky have in common? They’ll all be streaming into your home or office as part of the Talent Connect Show the week of October 2nd. 

The show is happening alongside Talent Connect Summit  — LinkedIn’s premier event for global talent leaders and practitioners in New York City — and will feature exclusive online content and a behind-the-scenes look at the in-person event. 

Whether you're in talent acquisition, recruitment, learning and development, employee experience, or DEI, the broadcast will have something for everyone. This will include the latest practices for hiring and attracting top candidates, driving career development, and preparing for the future of HR. You won’t want to miss this lineup. 

Be sure to register today for regional broadcast sessions, including Americas, APAC, and EMEA. This is one event that won’t disappoint.

Follow LinkedIn Talent Solutions to stay current

Chances are you already have a stellar network of peers to lean on and resources that you regularly read, but when it comes to finding and sharing fresh perspectives, branching out has benefits.

That’s why I recommend following the LinkedIn Talent Solutions page, which is a great place to engage in conversations relevant to the talent community. Bonus: by following this page, it will enhance your LinkedIn feed with the tips, strategies, and inspiration you need to hire and develop talent. 

I personally love taking the polls, which let me share my experience and also get a pulse on what others think with topics such as: Where would you like to broaden or deepen your learning over the next six months? Does your organization promote a remote-friendly work culture? What is the single most important quality in a manager?

This last poll sparked lots of rich conversation, not only about the topic at hand, but about the difference between being a manager and a leader, and what’s most important for each. 

Final thoughts: We’re in this together

It can be tempting to hunker down when you’re feeling overwhelmed, but now is the time to create space to expand your own thinking on the world of AI and talent development. 

As we know, having a strong support system and expanded resources can make all the difference in how we navigate change. While there will certainly be some tough challenges ahead, there will also be some wildly innovative solutions that follow. And, I’m in for all of it. We’ve got this. 

I’m excited to share that my new LinkedIn Learning course on Skills-First Talent Management is live and free for LinkedIn members.