The IT Nerd

 LinkedIn’s latest Workforce Confidence Index explores the growing presence of AI in Canada’s workforce. The report reveals that 50 per cent of Canadian workers express a strong interest in acquiring AI-related skills to advance their careers, highlighting a strong appetite for technical expertise that aligns with AI. Other key takeaways from the report include: 

• Generational disparities in digital skills: Millennials and Gen Z show stronger interest in AI and machine learning skills (35 per cent and 29 per cent respectively) compared to the broader workforce (26 per cent), highlighting younger professionals’ leadership in adopting digital skills.  
• Balanced mix of expertise: 61 per cent of respondents emphasize the increasing importance of soft skills like problem-solving, time management, and teamwork in conjunction with AI’s growth.   
• Increasing AI integration: Over a quarter of professionals report a 25 per cent growth in AI’s role over the past year.  

 Unsurprisingly, AI is also top of mind for Canadian leaders as LinkedIn’s Executive Confidence Index found that 43 per cent of Canadian Executives are planning to elevate their organization’s AI integration within the next year. These insights are included in LinkedIn’s first global Future of Work Report: AI at Work, which looks at the emerging trends within AI in the workplace. Based on insights from over 950 million professionals worldwide, the report emphasizes how AI is accelerating significant shifts within the workforce. Some other key Canadian takeaways from the Executive Confidence Index include:   

• Soft skills surge: A staggering 90 per cent of Canadian executives recognize the surge in importance of soft skills. Notably, 66 per cent assert that soft skills now outshine even the brightest AI skills in their organizations.  
• Mixed sentiments on AI impact: While 27 per cent of Canadian executives believe AI won’t significantly impact their workforce and 15 per cent are uncertain, a proactive stance emerges. 30 per cent are gearing up to upskill or hire for AI skills, compared to 17 per cent for soft skills.  
• Emphasis on human element: Only 5 per cent of Canadian executives intend to assess roles and reduce headcount due to AI. This shared commitment to growth and innovation underscores the importance of the human element in driving organizations forward.  

 The full report can be found here.

Today LinkedIn launched the CLEAR identity verification feature for use on LinkedIn in Canada. As of Thursday August 18, Canadian LinkedIn members will have the opportunity to add an extra layer of trust and authenticity to their profiles and verify their identity using CLEAR, a cutting-edge verification platform. 

With CLEAR, LinkedIn members can now verify their identity by using their Canadian government ID and phone number. This verification process sets a new standard for reliability and credibility on the platform, reinforcing LinkedIn’s commitment to fostering a trusted community of professionals in Canada. 

Many Canadian LinkedIn members can also verify their workplace using their work email addresses, enhancing the credibility of their professional information.  

LinkedIn aims to provide trusted and verified information for professionals in Canada, fostering a reliable platform for their career journeys. These new verification tools aim to provide LinkedIn members in Canada increased confidence when learning, applying for jobs, and networking. They are designed to facilitate engagement with professionals who are likely to be credible and trustworthy. 

For more information about this announcement, you can read the details here.  

A recent study conducted by LinkedIn’s Economic Graph research teamunveils job seekers’ preferences in the Greater Toronto Area for remote and hybrid work.  According to the data, Torontonians display the lowest interest in applying for fully remote positions among major metropolitan areas. However, despite their reluctance for fully remote roles, Torontonians lead the way in Canada’s big metro areas in applying for hybrid work opportunities.  Key findings from the report include: 

• 28.5% of job applications from Toronto are interested in fully remote positions. 
• Although Torontonians show less enthusiasm for fully remote positions, 31.7% of job applications from Toronto were interested in positions that involve a combination of remote and in-office work. 

 The findings are based on an analysis of more than 12 million remote job applications on LinkedIn from May 2022 to May 2023.  If you’d like to learn more you can read the report in full here. 

Methodology 

LinkedIn analyzed more than more than 12 million and 11 million applications to paid remote and hybrid job postings in Canada, respectively, between May 2022 and 2023. To be included, postings either were explicitly labeled as “remote” or “hybrid,” or contained keywords such as “work from home.” Only metros with a 12-month average population of 100,000 or more LinkedIn members were included as large metros.   

As summer flies by, it’s crucial for interns to lay the foundation for their future career path. Navigating the evolving job market and effectively transforming an internship into a long-term job can be a challenging task, especially for new graduates who may still be finding their footing when it comes to showcasing their skills.  

That’s where the expertise of LinkedIn comes in. As a leading professional networking platform, LinkedIn offers a wealth of resources and insights to help young professionals:  

• Understand the company culture and values: Take the time to familiarize yourself with the company’s culture, values, and mission. Being aware of top jobs, industries, and skills for entry-level professionals in the industry of your interest can help to showcase your dedication and passion for the company’s success. 
• Showcase your skills and achievements: Throughout your internship, consistently deliver high-quality work that exceeds expectations. Collect your accomplishments, completed projects, and positive feedback to create an impressive portfolio that highlights your value to the organization. 
• Stay connected: Even if there isn’t an immediate full-time position available, maintaining contact with your colleagues and supervisors is vital. This way, you can stay informed about any future opportunities that may arise. Utilizing professional networking platforms like LinkedIn to demonstrate your ongoing professional development and engagement.  
• Elevate Your Career with LinkedIn Learning Courses: Internships are the perfect opportunity for personal and professional growth. LinkedIn Learning offers an extensive library of courses to help young professionals successfully transition from internships to jobs.  Whether it’s mastering project management or developing leadership skills, these courses provide practical, actionable content. 

Here’s some resources:

• 2023 Guide to Kickstarting Your Career: The biggest opportunities for Canada’s new graduates 
• LinkedIn 2023 Most In-Demand Skills 
• LinkedIn Learning Courses: Professional Networking for Career Starters 
• LinkedIn Learning Courses: Turning an Internship into a Job 

LinkedIn has released findings from their Gender Gap Report, which was published today in collaboration with the World LinkedIn Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Report. The report sheds light on the challenges women face in the professional sphere, emphasizing the urgent need for equal opportunities. Some of the key insights from the report include:

• The rate of leadership hiring for women had increased by approximately 1% annually worldwide over the past eight years. However, as fears of an economic downturn peak, we are observing a decline in the share of women hired into leadership for the first time since the COVID 19 pandemic, in Canada as well as in most major economies around the world 
• Women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM roles globally, comprising only 29% of the STEM workforce worldwide, and 33% of the STEM workforce in Canada. 
• Despite these findings, there has been positive development in Canada. Representation for women in STEM occupations has increased across entry to director levels. This may be attributed to transitions from non-STEM backgrounds, as higher-level positions require fewer STEM skills.   
• Unlike in many other countries analyzed, in Canada, the growth in representation of women with STEM skills outpaced the growth in representation of women with non-STEM skills.  However, there is still room to grow, as men are 2x more likely to list a STEM skill in their LinkedIn profile than women are. 

Both the Global Gender Gap Report and LinkedIn’s data highlight the urgent need for systemic change to create fair and equal workplaces, ensuring that women’s careers are future-proofed and resilient in the face of labor market uncertainty. LinkedIn is also supporting women’s career progression through free LinkedIn Learning courses including: Fighting gender bias at work; Women transforming tech: getting strategic with your career; Introduction to Artificial Intelligence; Powerless to Powerful: Taking Control. 

With the world of work being reshaped, employers are now rethinking everything including what they look for in candidates, where they find them, and how they attract and retain them. Now more than ever companies need more guidance. 

LinkedIn recently released a data report sharing 17 predictions for the future of recruiting, based on dozens of interviews with global talent leaders, surveys of thousands of recruiting pros, and analysis of billions of data points generated on LinkedIn.  

The data and insights center around five key themes ranging from internal mobility to skills-first hiring to employers remaining committed to DEI despite the current economic uncertainty. 

Key Global Findings Include: 

• Three-out-of-four of recruiter respondents are saying that DEI hiring is being prioritized. 
• Recruiters are 25% more likely to search for candidates based on skills than they were just three years ago. And more than 50% of recruiters are more likely to search for skills than by years of experience. 
• Employees who work at companies with a high internal mobility tend to stay 60% longer than those at companies with a lower internal mobility. 

The full report can be viewed here.

As the 2023 workforce rapidly evolves, conversations around ‘recession’ are up nearly 900% since last year and topics like layoffs are trending on LinkedIn. However, today’s professionals are finding confidence in their skills, allowing them to bounce back and move forward when facing job change – planned or not.

A complement to this year’s Jobs on the Rise list, which identified the 25 jobs which have grown most over the past five years, the Most In-Demand Skillslist offers an insider look at the skills companies need most right now and free LinkedIn Learning courses to learn these skills.

The 2023 top 10 most in-demand skills in Canada include:

1. Management – Be The Manager People Won’t Leave
2. Communication – Communication Foundations
3. Customer Service – Customer Service Foundations
4. Leadership – Human Leadership
5. Microsoft Office – Excel Essential Training (Office 365)
6. Sales – Sales Foundations
7. Project Management – Project Management Foundations
8. Teamwork – Being an Effective Team Member
9. Research – Market Research Foundations
10. Analytical Skills – Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

For the full list of the Most In-Demand Skills, and their corresponding LinkedIn Learning courses, visit here.

Despite economic uncertainty and global hiring slowing down, a recent global survey from LinkedIn reveals that 60% of professionals are considering a new job this year – driven by the desire for bigger salaries as the cost-of-living increases. The survey found that 38% desire higher pay while also revealing that 30% are looking to pursue a better work-life balance.  

To provide insight on these trends, LinkedIn’s 2023 Jobs on the Rise list shows the 20 fastest-growing jobs in Canada, offering insights into where job seekers can find opportunity and stability as they search for their next role. The report features links to open positions, average salaries, remote work availability, the top skills for each role along with free LinkedIn Learning courses.  

The top 5 roles in Canada include:  

1. Growth Marketing Manager – including work in sales, marketing, and communications, and using data to develop and communicate strategies and processes to increase business revenue. 
2. Product Operations Manager – usually have a cross-functional role, working with management and companies’ various teams to build and oversee the effectiveness of business processes, operations, products and/or services. 
3. Dispensary Technician – typically involves taking and filing out orders at cannabis dispensaries. 
4. Technical Program Manager – work involves developing and managing organizations’ various technical projects and programs. 
5. Sustainability Manager – works to balance an organizations’ needs with its capacity for sustained profitability, involving the monitoring and forecasting of its impact on the surrounding environment.    

The full list, including industry, region, and salary insights for each role can be found here.

Methodology 

LinkedIn Economic Graph researchers examined millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members from January 1, 2018 to July 31, 2022 to calculate a growth rate for each job title. To be ranked, a job title needed to see consistent growth across our membership base, as well as have grown to a meaningful size by 2022. Identical job titles across different seniority levels were grouped and ranked together. Internships, volunteer positions, interim roles and student roles were excluded, and jobs where hiring was dominated by a small handful of companies in each country were also excluded. Additional data points for each of the job titles are based on LinkedIn profiles of members holding the title and/or open jobs for that title in the country. 

According to the latest Statistics Canada data, job vacancies are on the rise estimating that in August 2022, there were nearly a million unfilled positions. These vacancies coupled with the threat of recession, talent reshuffle and layoffs across sectors have young professionals examining how they can better prepare for next wave of economic uncertainty. 

In response to potential economic downturn, LinkedIn is starting to see people, “Career Cushioning”, meaning they are taking actions to keep their options open and cushioning for whatever comes next in the economy and job market. 

LinkedIn offers support in helping young professionals feel more secure about their job experience and offers ways to upskill. Below are some of the specific ways to begin “Career Cushioning” using LinkedIn as a resource.

• Tend to Your Network: A recent global survey from LinkedIn found that almost half of people (48%) use their professional network to get job advice or referrals.  
• Skills Matters: More than 40% of hirers on LinkedIn explicitly use skills data to fill their roles, up over 30% year-over-year. 
• Start to put feelers out there for new roles: Turning on Open to Work on your LinkedIn profile increases your likelihood of getting a recruiter message by 2X. 

This article on LinkedIn offers additional tips.