LinkedIn's APB (Associate Product Builder) 2025 program opens 9/2. Here are 3 ways to start preparing today.
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LinkedIn Associate Product Builder program replaced their APM program. Do these 3 things today to be prepared to submit your application as soon as it opens on 9/2.
Key program info
What is the LinkedIn Associate Product Builder program?
The first-ever Associate Product Builder (APB) program fuses product, design, and engineering into one powerful role. Join AI-native teams to ship world-class products for 1B+ members and redefine LinkedIn’s future.
How to apply
Applications open September 2, 2025, and close September 7, 2025 at 11:59pm PST. You’ll apply right here.
The application is builder-first, just like the program. You’ll share:
A 60-second demo of a product you built that people use or have used (website, repo, portfolio, etc).
Answer a few questions about what you built and how you built it using AI tools
No resume. We want your work, not your job history.
What kinds of problems will I work on?
As an APB, you’ll build AI-powered products that help professionals connect to opportunity. From improving job matches to uncovering untapped talent, you’ll tackle real-world problems that impact over a billion people using LinkedIn’s unique data and AI to move careers and the global economy forward.
Is this role more technical or more product-focused?
It’s both. As an APB, you’ll develop a full-stack product building mindset. You’ll think across product, design, engineering, and business. You’ll prototype, build, and ship with support from mentors in each discipline, learning to balance technical and strategic skills.
How technical do I need to be?
You don’t need to be an engineering expert, but you should be comfortable working with code, prototyping tools, and AI-assisted development workflows. The goal is to accelerate your learning and build features independently with support.
What support will I get if I’ve never worked in a formal product role?
You don’t need formal product experience. The APB Program is built to teach you from the ground up. You’ll get a structured curriculum, hands-on mentorship across product, design, engineering, and business, and a tight-knit peer community to learn and grow with.
What happens after the program ends?
The APB Program is designed to set you up for long-term success at LinkedIn and beyond. Those who demonstrate strong performance and align with our values are well-positioned to continue leading high-impact work at LinkedIn as Full Stack Builders, either with their current team or a new one.
Can I apply if I’ve already graduated or I’m already working full time?
Yes! The APB program is open to candidates who are ready to make a career pivot or take the next step in their product journey, regardless of whether you’re currently in school or employed.
Do I need a degree or formal training to apply?
Yes, you’ll need to have completed a bachelor’s degree in a technical or product-related discipline by December 2025 in order to be eligible for this cohort.
Can I still apply to the APM program?
No. We are no longer accepting applications for APM. If you're interested in early-career product roles at LinkedIn, APB is the path forward.
How to start preparing today
The application requires you to demo a “product YOU BUILT that people have used (website, repo, portfolio, etc).”
If you haven’t built something before, the simplest way is to use vibe coding tools. (Vibe coding is like using ChatGPT to make a website. You describe what you want using plain English, and keep chatting with the tool to refine the website. All without writing a single line of code.)
Step 1: Brainstorm ideas of what you want to build.
Ask yourself these questions:
✅ What’s something that causes friction or frustration in your life today?
✅ What is something that you do manually today, and you wish there was an easier way to do it?
These questions inspired the personal project that I talked about in my Google APM, Meta RPM, and Microsoft PM interviews.
More project ideas:
Step 2: Use a vibe coding tool and start with a simple project
Easiest tools to get started with:
Examples of easy projects:
“Make a 2-player tic-tac-toe game.” ← just paste this into the text box of any of the tools I mention above. Then, keep chatting with the tool until you get it to look exactly the way you want it to.
Step 3: To prepare for the application questions, ask yourself these questions:
✅ Who is the target user of this product?
✅ What are some challenges or frustrations they face?
✅ How do other product solve this problem?
✅ How might we solve this problem in a better way?
Additional recruiting resources:
Google APM, Meta RPM, and more: product management internship & full-time application dates
5 AI prompts to level-up product strategy, executive presence, and execution speed
The stories that got me hired as a PM involved 0 technical skills
how to prepare for AI product manager interviews, part 1: product sense