As the host of The Elite Recruiter Podcast—one of the top recruiting podcasts in the world—and an executive recruiter specializing in the GovCon (government contracting) space, I spend a lot of time thinking about the future of recruiting and professional networking. With two big recruiting events coming up—The Recruiter Sales and BD Summit and Rock The Year - Recruiter Growth Summit—I’ve been reflecting on how platforms like LinkedIn are evolving and shaping our industry.
LinkedIn is no longer just a digital resume or a networking tool—it’s a powerful ecosystem where careers are built, deals are made, and entire industries grow. But with rapid change comes new challenges. Based on my experience in recruiting, I’ve put together my top 10 predictions for what LinkedIn will look like in 2025. Some of these predictions might excite you, others might concern you, but they all point to one thing: LinkedIn is going to look very different by the end of this year.
1. LinkedIn Creator Fund
I believe LinkedIn will launch a creator fund, joining other social platforms that pay people to create content. This move makes sense for LinkedIn—it boosts engagement, keeps users on the platform longer, and increases opportunities for targeted advertising. By paying top creators to produce regular content, LinkedIn can create a cycle of stickiness where users keep returning for fresh material.
However, while it might look like a success for LinkedIn from a metrics perspective, paying customers (especially recruiters and sales professionals) might feel differently. Many of these users rely on LinkedIn as a professional network, not an entertainment platform. If the content landscape shifts too far toward clickbait or superficial posts, they could see this as the start of LinkedIn’s decline. Balancing professional value with creator incentives will be key.
2. Rise of AI Influencers
Expect the rise of fully digital AI influencers on LinkedIn. I’m not talking about people using AI tools like Taplio to create posts or those auto-commenting generic responses (we see you, AI-generated comments that just echo the original post). I mean actual AI-driven personalities—digital influencers who post, engage, and even appear in AI-generated videos.
These AI influencers could become indistinguishable from real people, blurring the lines of authenticity on the platform. Imagine a LinkedIn feed filled with posts from avatars that aren’t real humans, yet deliver insights and commentary like seasoned professionals. Who knows? LinkedIn might even introduce a paid AI avatar feature, where your digital twin can network, comment, and stay active on your behalf without you lifting a finger. The implications for networking and personal branding are huge—and a little unsettling.
3. Short-Form Video Will Be Pushed Harder
Short-form video content is already gaining traction on LinkedIn, and I predict this trend will accelerate. With video proving to increase engagement and session time, LinkedIn will continue tweaking its algorithm to prioritize video content. Expect more visibility for creators who post short, punchy videos—think of it as LinkedIn’s version of TikTok for professionals.
That said, I hope LinkedIn also gives smaller creators a fair shot. Right now, it feels like only those with massive followings on TikTok and Instagram dominate the video space. It would be great to see LinkedIn become a platform where new creators can gain traction. On a more controversial note, I can also see LinkedIn becoming attractive to adult content creators, similar to what happened with other platforms. Before that happens, LinkedIn should introduce a “Not Interested” button to let users filter out unwanted content types.
4. LinkedIn Will Actually Care About Groups
LinkedIn Groups have long been one of the platform’s biggest missed opportunities. They’re plagued by spam, low engagement, and a lack of meaningful tools. But I predict LinkedIn will finally take Groups seriously. With the rise of niche communities on platforms like Facebook and Discord, LinkedIn can’t afford to ignore the potential of groups any longer.
To succeed, LinkedIn will need to overhaul the group experience—cutting down on spam, introducing better moderation tools, and possibly sunsetting old, inactive groups. I can see them launching new group features that prioritize quality engagement, making groups more valuable for professionals looking to build smaller, tight-knit networks. If done right, Groups could become one of LinkedIn’s most powerful features.
5. AI Recruiting & Sales Agents
LinkedIn’s AI tools are already evolving, and I predict we’ll see fully automated AI agents capable of managing entire recruiting projects. Imagine an AI agent that drafts job descriptions, sources candidates, reaches out, and schedules interviews—all without human intervention. This could free up recruiters to focus on high-value activities like relationship-building and candidate experience.
And yes, the AI will absolutely be capable of crafting compelling outreach messages. LinkedIn’s AI models have been trained on years of data, including millions of messages, posts, and interactions. Unless users have actively opted out of LinkedIn’s data sharing for AI training, the platform has more than enough context to generate highly personalized and effective outreach.
6. Instant Employment Verification
LinkedIn’s recent partnership with Clear to verify recruiters and sales professionals is a step in the right direction, but why stop there? I can see LinkedIn expanding this initiative by partnering with major verification services to enable instant background checks and employment verifications. Recruiters could instantly verify a candidate’s employment history or even initiate a background check directly from the platform.
This would be a game-changer for the hiring process. It would make LinkedIn an even more critical tool for recruiters while giving companies more confidence in the authenticity of candidates. However, privacy concerns would need to be addressed carefully to avoid backlash.
7. Authentic Storytelling Will Outperform Generic Corporate Posts
As LinkedIn’s content landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear: genuine stories will always outperform generic corporate jargon. Posts that share real experiences—successes, failures, and lessons learned—will resonate far more than recycled “thought leadership” fluff. Professionals are tired of posts filled with buzzwords that lack substance.
While LinkedIn will continue to give a short-term boost to posts about current events or viral trends (including those annoying “Comment X to get Y” posts), the long-term winners will be those who tell authentic stories. If you want to stand out on LinkedIn in 2025, focus on sharing your real journey.
8. Podcasts on LinkedIn
LinkedIn has already invested in live audio and video events, but I see them taking it further by helping small creators turn those events into podcasts hosted directly on the platform. They could also introduce an RSS feed integration, allowing existing podcasters to upload their shows and reach LinkedIn’s professional audience.
This move could position LinkedIn as a unique platform where users can network and consume content in one place. Unlike other social platforms, LinkedIn is already geared toward professional development, which means it’s well-suited to become a podcast hub for business, recruiting, and industry-specific topics.
9. LinkedIn Tries to Replace the Resume
With LinkedIn profiles becoming increasingly comprehensive, I believe the platform will push to replace traditional resumes entirely. They could introduce a standardized profile template that’s universally accepted by companies and ATS platforms, making the LinkedIn profile the de facto resume.
This would streamline the hiring process for both candidates and recruiters. Instead of manually uploading and formatting resumes for every job application, candidates could simply share their LinkedIn profile. It’s a bold move, but one that feels inevitable given LinkedIn’s influence.
10. Streamlined Portfolio & Project Showcases
Professionals increasingly want to showcase tangible examples of their work, whether it’s detailed project write-ups, design portfolios, or published articles. LinkedIn could introduce new features to make this easier, allowing users to create visually appealing portfolio sections right on their profiles.
This would be especially valuable for creative professionals, consultants, and freelancers. By making portfolios more prominent, LinkedIn could become a go-to platform not just for networking, but also for showcasing expertise and landing new opportunities.
Closing Thoughts
LinkedIn is evolving rapidly, and 2025 will bring some game-changing updates. Whether it’s AI-driven influencers, video content dominating the feed, or LinkedIn trying to replace traditional resumes, we’ll all have to adapt. For recruiters, sales professionals, and anyone using LinkedIn as their primary networking tool, staying ahead of these changes will be critical.
If you’re interested in more conversations about the future of recruiting and professional networking, check out The Elite Recruiter Podcast. I also invite you to join The Recruiter Sales and BD Summit and Rock The Year - Recruiter Growth Summit—two free virtual summits that you won’t want to miss (with VIP options available for replays).
And of course, if you need help with recruiting—especially in the GovCon space—don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s connect, collaborate, and make 2025 a year of growth and success.
