LinkedIn follows Microsoft and lays off 281 employees, most are software engineers

India Today

2 days ago

The latest wave of job cuts in Silicon Valley has now finally reached LinkedIn, the professional networking giant best known for helping people find jobs. Now, ironically, it is finding itself in the position of handing out pink slips. According to a filing with California's Employment Development Department this week, LinkedIn is letting go of 281 employees in the state. These cuts come hot on the heels of Microsoft's broader announcement earlier this month that it would trim around 6,000 jobs globally, roughly 3 per cent of its total workforce. As a Microsoft-owned company, LinkedIn hasn't been spared.advertisementThis time around, the pink slips landed particularly hard on software engineers, though others weren't fully immune. Roles like senior product managers and talent account directors were also affected. According to the reports, the layoffs were communicated to employees on May 13, with many taking to LinkedIn itself to announce their new 'open to work' status.It's a moment of deja vu for LinkedIn staff, although the tone is markedly different. In 2023, when the company let go of 716 employees, CEO Ryan Roslansky personally addressed the decision in a heartfelt internal memo. Fast forward to 2025, there is no word from him so far. With no public comment yet, speculation is rife about whether more job cuts are on the horizon.
Layoffs have become something of a gloomy tech sector trend this year, with companies like Meta, Google, and Autodesk all slimming down their workforces. While reasons vary—from restructuring to AI investments and claims of underperformance—the message is clear: the industry is transforming rapidly, and not everyone's role is safe.advertisementOne of the biggest disruptors? Artificial intelligence. With AI tools now capable of generating code, debugging, and even suggesting product improvements, many companies are quietly rethinking how many engineers they actually need. It's a bittersweet twist—engineers building tools so effective that they might be coding themselves out of a job. Focusing on AI and how it affects jobs, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman clearly stated that AI is not a friend and whoever thinks this way will surely be harmed. He said, 'I don't think any AI tool today is capable of being a friend. And I think if it's pretending to be a friend, you're actually harming the person in so doing.'For LinkedIn, which employs over 18,400 people worldwide, the layoffs may indicate a strategic pivot. Once seen as a dependable cog in Microsoft's machine, the platform might now be undergoing a rethink as automation and economic uncertainty prompt tech giants to 'streamline operations.'While AI promises efficiency and innovation, it also raises uncomfortable questions about job security, even in fields previously considered safe.