The job cuts affect roughly 6% of the HR tech workforce under Recruit Holdings and will be most heavily felt in the United States. Teams working in research and development, growth, people and sustainability, and other departments will be impacted. 

But the downsizing will extend across countries and functions, one of the most significant reshuffles the company has carried out in recent years.

This isn’t the first round of layoffs for the group. In 2023, Indeed let go of 2,200 employees, about 15% of its workforce. Just earlier this year, the company cut another 1,000 jobs. Now, this fresh round brings the total to over 4,500 roles eliminated in less than two years.

In a memo to staff, Hisayuki “Deko” Idekoba, CEO of Recruit Holdings, gave a short but pointed explanation: “AI is changing the world, and we must adapt by ensuring our product delivers truly great experiences for job seekers and employers.”

Though he did not directly link the layoffs to financial struggles, the statement signals a strategic redirection. Recruit appears to be following the same path as global tech giants like Meta and Microsoft, cutting labour costs in favour of investing in automation and machine learning tools.

As part of the shake-up, Recruit will fully merge Glassdoor’s operations into Indeed. This change means Glassdoor’s CEO, Christian Sutherland-Wong, will exit the company by 1 October. 

LaFawn Davis, Indeed’s Chief People and Sustainability Officer, will also step down on September 1. She will be replaced by Ayano Senaha, who currently serves as Recruit’s Chief Operating Officer.

Recruit Holdings, which bought Indeed in 2012 and Glassdoor in 2018, employs about 20,000 people in its HR technology division. The firm did not reveal whether more cuts are planned.

This move shows a growing transition across the recruitment industry, where companies are digitising and reinventing how they operate in an increasingly automated world. 

A recent study by Indeed reveals that acquiring AI skills can boost salaries by up to 47%, stressing the value employers place on candidates who can leverage these technologies.

In the United States, 92% of organisations plan to implement AI-based solutions by 2028, according to a report by Amazon Web Services (AWS). Key areas benefiting from AI adoption include IT (92%), sales and marketing (85%), and human resources (78%). 

Companies are turning to AI to automate processes, enhance productivity, and drive innovation. This has led to a change in ways of hiring, with employers preferring candidates with AI expertise, even if they lack extensive work experience.

While the demand for AI talent has grown, there’s still a huge skills gap. Nearly 75% of employers report difficulty finding professionals with adequate AI training. As a result, companies are offering competitive salaries to attract talent. 

For instance, professionals specialising in generative AI earn an average of $174,727 annually. Roles requiring skills like prompt engineering and applied generative AI are particularly lucrative, with potential salary increases ranging from 35% in human resources to 47% in IT.

Platforms such as Coursera and Nvidia’s Deep Learning Institute are making AI education more accessible. Coursera has identified “prompt engineering” and “applied generative AI” as the fastest-growing skills for 2025, offering affordable and free courses to help professionals upskill. 

Nvidia provides a range of free resources, including beginner-friendly courses like “Generative AI Explained” and “Building a Brain in 10 Minutes”, designed to build learners with practical AI knowledge.

The economic benefits of AI expertise span across various sectors. A worker earning $80,000 could see their salary rise to over $117,000 by adding skills in generative AI. Again, businesses are willing to invest heavily in employees with AI proficiency to gain a competitive edge.

Strategic Career Moves for 2025

With industries integrating AI technologies, professionals looking to advance their careers are encouraged to prioritise AI training. Free and low-cost courses provide a viable path for those seeking to improve their career prospects without incurring significant costs. 

Employers are open to supporting their workforce in acquiring these skills, recognising the mutual benefits of an AI-trained team.

Individuals need to gain expertise in this field because it is no longer optional but essential for professionals seeking to thrive in the job market. 

With the redesign, which includes a new AI-driven work experience writer and support for multiple resumes, drives Indeed’s focus to staying competitive in the crowded job market industry.

The revamped profile page gives users the option to leverage an AI-powered writer to create detailed descriptions of their work experience, enabling individuals to present their skills and accomplishments more effectively.

Additionally, users will now have the ability to save up to five resumes, facilitating easier customization for different job applications. Both features are set to roll out soon, according to Indeed.

In a bid to bolster recruiter capabilities, Indeed has also introduced a set of smart sourcing suites designed to optimize candidate sourcing and outreach. The suites include AI-powered candidate summaries and advanced search filters to minimize “irrelevant outreach” and improve the efficiency of the hiring process.

Again, recruiters can leverage AI-powered smart messaging and automated interview scheduling tools to streamline communication with job seekers.

Addressing concerns about bias and data accuracy, Indeed emphasizes its focus on responsible AI practices, with a team attentive to mitigating potential harm and ensuring fairness in AI-powered processes.

Deepti Patibandla, Senior Director of Product at Indeed, pointed to the company’s mission to facilitate successful job placements and simplify the hiring process.

While acknowledging LinkedIn’s dominance in the professional networking space, Patibandla emphasized Indeed’s target of connecting people with the right opportunities and minimizing job search fatigue.

Indeed’s strategic focus on user-centric features and innovative hiring solutions comes amidst heightened competition in the job market sector. With rivals such as LinkedIn also leveraging AI to enhance recruitment processes, Indeed aims to differentiate itself by prioritizing job seekers’ needs and facilitating meaningful career advancements.

Despite undergoing a strong restructuring last year, including layoffs affecting 15% of its workforce, Indeed remains committed to its core mission of facilitating job placements and empowering individuals to scale their career paths effectively.