This is the New "Modern Career" | LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky

Good morning. It is a beautiful day in San Francisco and today we're working from the LinkedIn SF office. Yes, here

we are. Today's internet co-orker is Ryan, Rosanski., We're, going to, be

Ryan, Rosanski., We're, going to, be interviewing him. He is doing a talk

interviewing him. He is doing a talk right now at the LinkedIn AI day where they're announcing a bunch of LinkedIn AI products that we'll cover. Let me

give you the intro of Ryan before we bring him in. CEO of LinkedIn as of June 2020. Also the EVP of Microsoft Copilot

2020. Also the EVP of Microsoft Copilot and Microsoft Office. I didn't know you could have two jobs like that. That

started in June earlier this year.

What's interesting, he's a college dropout turn entrepreneur. He co-founded

housing media and sold using.com in 1999. I was like 7 years old then. In

1999. I was like 7 years old then. In

2009, he joined LinkedIn and was leading product for like 11 years. Then he

became CEO. So that means he's been at LinkedIn for 16 years. Some of his major wins is that he led the 1.5 billion linda.com acquisition. Under his

linda.com acquisition. Under his leadership, the LinkedIn revenue doubled to 15 billion and they grew their user base to over a billion users. Right now

he just casually runs Microsoft's AI integrations as well as leading LinkedIn. Chill. Without further ado

LinkedIn. Chill. Without further ado let's bring in today's internet coworker. I'm Chloe and this is your

coworker. I'm Chloe and this is your internet coworker. Hi, Ryan.

internet coworker. Hi, Ryan.

Hi Chloe.

We're in the tech space. I think

generally we like AI. We're like AI optimists. We're going to work with it

optimists. We're going to work with it and help it work for us. But the rest of the world is like "Wow, AI scary, AI bad." AI is going to take over our jobs.

What do you think of that? What's your

take? Do you think that's really happening?

Without a doubt, I think AI is going to completely reshape the way the labor market works. Even if you're not

market works. Even if you're not changing your job, your job is changing on you. The skills to do the same job

on you. The skills to do the same job have changed by over 25% over the last few years. We think they'll change up to

few years. We think they'll change up to 70% by 2030. I like to kind of take a pretty optimistic view on a lot of this.

The ability to do things you never thought were possible. Like we see this rise on LinkedIn of micro entrepreneurs solo contractors, creators, data

annotators. This whole new economy is

annotators. This whole new economy is being created with, through, and around AI. Any moment of change, I think that

AI. Any moment of change, I think that if you're able to capitalize on that change and play up and adapt, I think there's just tons of opportunity everywhere.

Do you have any advice for people to not fall behind?

It's probably the most common question I'm asked by far on LinkedIn by our members. number one like you're doing

members. number one like you're doing like you're saying you have to put yourself in a mindset to learn the tools try them all like why not you know even if, you, hate, them, at least, you're learning something but I think there's a division right now of people who are like I don't need to pay attention to

that I don't need to worry about it it's too overwhelming that can't be the right path right now you have to get into it and learn the tools number two do not forget the human component in all of this being able to sit down with someone and actually look them in the eye and

have a conversation being able to collaborate empathy compassion these are critical skills to being successful no matter what the world looks like don't overindex on just the tools. Last but

not least, my advice is give yourself the opportunity to dream big right now.

You know, especially a lot of folks that are in your generation that want to do amazing, powerful, valuable things for the world around some of the largest problems like climate change or poverty or healthcare. Now, AI kind of gives you

or healthcare. Now, AI kind of gives you the ability to do a lot of that stuff that we once thought was impossible. So

learn the tools, don't forget the human component, and then give yourself permission to dream a lot bigger.

I love that answer. That was really inspiring. LinkedIn came out with a lot

inspiring. LinkedIn came out with a lot of AI products this year. What are those product announcements?

LinkedIn's been building AI products for probably like 15 years. I mean, if you think about what we're trying to do with LinkedIn, all day long, we've got a billion people who are trying to figure out what they want to do with their career, and then almost all companies in the world trying to hire the right

people. Ultimately, LinkedIn is just a

people. Ultimately, LinkedIn is just a huge matching game, which means that it's just ultimately a huge AI game. Who

should you connect with? What should we show you in your feed? So, we we've kind of been cemented in AI for a long time.

Some of the cool features we've launched recently, though, which I'm really excited about. First and foremost, in

excited about. First and foremost, in job search, historically, if you wanted to go do a job search on a job board or anywhere on LinkedIn, you type in a couple of queries. You have to know which filters to to sort by to get the

right jobs. Now, with AI and generative

right jobs. Now, with AI and generative AI, we can reason over all the jobs on LinkedIn, and you can literally search by typing in exactly what you want to do. Like, whatever it is you want to do

do. Like, whatever it is you want to do and dream up, we can bring those opportunities to you without having to know the right things to search. Then

once you find a job that you like, we usually had to tell you, hey, you know what, Chloe, you're a great fit for this job. or let's be honest, you're actually

job. or let's be honest, you're actually not a great fit for this job because you're missing these end skills. Now

here's some LinkedIn learning courses to go and get those skills, but like this may not be the best thing for you to go and pursue. Now, once you find the job

and pursue. Now, once you find the job that you like, you're ready to go.

Probably one of my favorite products we launched in a long time is AI interview prep.

So, you take the actual job, we'll create interview questions based on what you would likely face in that job, and then you can prepare all day long, as long as you want, hundreds of times with an AI interviewer to help you prepare for that interview. We leverage

AI to help people connect and find opportunity. We do it at scale and

opportunity. We do it at scale and there's some pretty exciting stuff we built. I love it.

built. I love it.

Yeah, that's my favorite. I remember

trying to break into product management and like PM interviews are very specific to get people to give me the time of day to mock interview. I was like, please I'll I'll buy you a coffee. Just come

out and do mock interviews with me. It's

such a favor.

It's so important. But even like a PM interview will differ from company to company to company. So instead of just being like I need to interview as a PM it's like I need to interview for a PM at this company where the questions could be unique and specific. We try and

draw those out to help you for that as well.

Yeah, that's awesome. That's by far my favorite. It's no longer okay with just

favorite. It's no longer okay with just having a nice GPA and nice extracurriculars, getting that first job. Everyone wants experience for the

job. Everyone wants experience for the people who are breaking in. Gen Z, are they cooked?

Cooked is bad, right?

Yeah, cooked is bad. Cooking is good. We've

got that right. Okay, got that.

He knows he's trained.

I definitely think there's a narrative out there. If you take a look at the

out there. If you take a look at the historic way the labor market has worked for the past 80 years, there's like a set of entry- level jobs that are typically lower skilled automatable type

things where people would historically move that way into the career ecosystem.

Under those rules, I think that like it's a lot more difficult and the data plays it out. Those types of roles are going away and it's harder to get them.

I think what the story isn't telling though is Gen Z is a pretty scrappy group. So this is a group that is

group. So this is a group that is learning at a higher rate than any other generation before, taking more ownership and accountability over their career.

Where there aren't traditional paths into a company, they create their own path. They become career creators or

path. They become career creators or whatever you can kind of dream up. They

find those ways into places like hospitality or areas where certain technology can't be automated. So, I I think that what we're seeing is just a shift in the way that the labor market

works and a generation that is doing whatever they possibly can to find a way to create that new generation. So, I

think it's actually pretty exciting to watch your generation really forge a new path for how the world is going to work.

And yes, it's uncertain and yes, if you try and be like, "Oh, it doesn't map to what I knew worked 20 years ago." That's

true, but that's okay. So it sounds like the traditional model of here's my resume with not super relevant experience coming out of job submit to job that's like no longer working. You

got to find other ways to build your experiences and then go into the large company life.

If the large company life is even the life that you want. I mean I I do think that right now is the time where you have a great idea. Doesn't matter what your background is. you have literally in your pocket an amazing software

engineer, a strategist, an editor whatever you need to go and do and build what you want to do. I do think that sure if your path is into a a large established company, great. You have to

find a way to do that. But more and more it's about creating new ways of work new paths, more entrepreneurial ways of work. I'm watching this kind of like

work. I'm watching this kind of like data annotator space blow up in the world, which is like humans using their knowledge to help train a lot of these AI models that didn't even exist as a job a couple of years ago. So these new things are popping up. It's just about

putting yourself in the mindset that like this isn't the labor market 5 10 years ago. Something is being created

years ago. Something is being created and how do I take advantage of it like you are doing by the way.

Well, I didn't know what I was doing was like supposed to be what other people should be doing. I kind of did it because I was like really obsessed with wanting to create content, be a creative. I was working my full-time job

creative. I was working my full-time job in product and then doing content on the side and trying to build whatever this is. But now I' I'm observing that this

is. But now I' I'm observing that this is how the modern career is evolving into. For better, for worse, it's no

into. For better, for worse, it's no longer sufficient to have one full-time job, have a career in that job. 16 years

LinkedIn, I don't think that's like normal for us. Totally.

For the rest of us, you have to kind of have a side hustle now or pursue your passions or like be a creator or like do something. What is your take on this

something. What is your take on this evolution of the career?

So funny. So this this past weekend I was talking to a family member who had kind of spent 40 years in the same company, gold watch, retired and like that was the old model of work.

Literally this morning I just met someone who's a product manager, runs a vintage Etsy clothing store like at night, teaches AI prompting on

the weekend. Like that is that is the

the weekend. Like that is that is the new model of how careers work. It used

to be there's this one linear path people thought that there was now it's like this crazy squiggly line to careers. I think in the past if the

careers. I think in the past if the model was consistency in a career path predictability now is about agency and adaptability like that's the model of today.

You're a creator, I'm a creator. Let's

talk about creating. Do you have a favorite type of content you see on LinkedIn? What is your favorite and your

LinkedIn? What is your favorite and your least favorite? My favorite type of

least favorite? My favorite type of content on LinkedIn is anytime someone shares some unique insight or realworld perspective and you can learn something from.

And then very easily the flip side is just the like super basic non-unique no personal experience advice. I can't

stand that. So let me tell you what I mean which is like no but it's it's like leadership is all about listening. Like

if that's the post, it's like okay, like thank you for sharing that, but like I don't get a ton of value out of that. If

it's like, oh, you know what I learned today is I was talking over my entire team and no one's paying attention that at the end of the day, you know leadership is really about listening and getting the insights and here's what I did. It's like, okay, that's useful and

did. It's like, okay, that's useful and helpful. I think that's the kind of

helpful. I think that's the kind of difference between what does well on LinkedIn and what people sometimes cringe at.

Do you have a dream feed for what you want LinkedIn to be? Like what do you want to see on your LinkedIn feed? What

do you hope to see from LinkedIn creators do more of my dream LinkedIn feed is probably the feed that I have today? Because the

other thing people don't realize often is that you have total control over curating your feed. You can decide who you follow or not follow. My feed right now is a is a ton of people that I respect. Sharing valuable insights that

respect. Sharing valuable insights that are helping them do their job better.

And I think that I cannot start the morning without looking at my LinkedIn feed and feeling like I'm being more productive based on what I learn.

I love that. I've tried to curate my feed based on that as well. And I've

gotten it to a good place. But I think it's hard to filter for it. Like you

kind of just have to stumble upon it and engage with it.

Yeah. Want to be a product manager and help build the feed.

Is there is there an opening?

I posted about our interview. Wo. And I

think one question is really interesting which is what is the plan for creator monetization for B2B influence? Is this

a place? I am a B2B.

Yeah. That's what they say.

Oh wow. And I didn't realize until someone told me I was. I was like, "Oh that's that's the best kind of influencer to be." B2B.

Yeah. Look at that.

Why do you say that?

I like it. Uh, I think it's a unique place. LinkedIn is very specific to the

place. LinkedIn is very specific to the B2B audience. If you're trying to sell a

B2B audience. If you're trying to sell a product or service to any company who's trying to buy another product or service, like LinkedIn's a great place to do that because of the feed we talked about before and the sharing of insights and knowledge that are professional in

nature. We actually have a couple of

nature. We actually have a couple of great mechanisms for creators to monetize their content. Number one is through LinkedIn Learning. We run the largest learning platform online where people can share their knowledge as instructors of what they've learned how

to do and then we have a mechanism to sell that to all of our members and a bunch of companies integrate revshare plan that exists there. And then we're more and more kind of getting into a concept we recently launched called brand link which is that you know how do

we help someone like you connect with the right brand uh on LinkedIn to get the message out there as well. you know

a little bit later to the game, but we're really starting to up our game here and and play in the space to help creators really get value out of what they're doing on the platform.

And then the last question is, is there something that you have decided to intentionally miss out on this year to spend and focus more time on the things that you find joy in?

I'm actually doing less driving to work and more walking. I took the CAL train to get here to the office today and that was actually uh really exciting because I just feel like it allows you time to like think and then as always I'm I'm

spending less time anywhere else and more time on LinkedIn because it's so valuable to my career. What are yours ins and outs outs? Uh I would like to work less but I'm working on it. I think

I'm currently trying to choose to miss out. I I basically got married in March

out. I I basically got married in March after that. Thank you. After that, it

after that. Thank you. After that, it was just like non-stop working and this is the last stretch. So, I'm here barely.

All right,, good, job., What, about, more, of I really want to make a music video. So

I I sang a song like a musical s song an original song. I'm trying to voice act and then I'm also trying to produce a a mini drama. I love fiction.

mini drama. I love fiction.

What you just said is our entire conversation wrapped into one. Like

this is the future of work. Like, when

you in your head say that and aspire to do that, that is what the future of work and like Gen Z work looks like. So

congratulations.

The dreaming big is a little too big.

Yeah, I love it. Good for you.

Hopefully it can help me. Yeah.

Awesome. Well, thanks again.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you so much for watching this very first episode of Your Internet Coworker.

I know this seems kind of out of nowhere, but this originally started as my tech talk series that I did for fun on LinkedIn where we revealed the lore behind the launches and the people who build them. It got so much love that I

build them. It got so much love that I was like, "Okay, maybe we should make this a real thing now." So, this is your internet cooworker where I interview people in tech, business, and media, and talk about what they're actually like at work, what's keeping them up at night

what lessons they've learned, and maybe some hot goss as their work bestie. I

literally had less than 25 minutes with Ryan. He's a busy man. So, we couldn't

Ryan. He's a busy man. So, we couldn't get to all the questions I wanted to ask. We did his first ever little Tik

ask. We did his first ever little Tik Tok trend, which I heard went viral internally at LinkedIn. So, please do comment, share, support. Their teams are always watching the comments. And maybe

we'll get Ryan back again. This was our first time meeting, so I was like kind of shy and kind of formal. I couldn't

really bring my whole self yet. But next

time. Thank you so much for watching and I'll see you in the next one. And you

got to look at the lens and not yourself. I

yourself. I You know, I can't do that.

You can do it. You can do it.

No,, that, looks, bad., I'm, going to, This, is I'm, going to, go, with, my, double, thumbs up. Yeah.

up. Yeah.