To cram more AI skills onto LinkedIn profiles, more job seekers are turning to 'time travel,' say researchers
Workers are "time traveling" on LinkedIn to add AI skills to roles they left years ago, likely to get a leg up in a tough job market, researchers say.
TL;DR
- Job seekers are retroactively adding AI skills to past roles on LinkedIn, a trend called 'time traveling.'
- This practice increased after the launch of ChatGPT, as AI skills are now highly sought after by employers.
- Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. LinkedIn users have retroactively edited job titles or descriptions.
- While some edits are legitimate, adding AI skills to jobs from before the AI boom (e.g., 2012) raises questions of honesty.
- The rate of 'time traveling' doubles just before individuals change jobs, suggesting it's a tactic for job searching.
- This trend is seen as an 'arms race' where job seekers use keywords to stand out amid increased competition.
- Experts advise periodic, truthful updates to professional profiles to accurately reflect accomplishments and skills.