LinkedIn “Open to Work” Feature: Should You Use It?

LinkedIn “Open to Work” Feature: Should You Use It?.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool for those who are looking for a new job or who can connect with people with similar professional interests, and one of the easiest ways to let recruiters know that you are looking for a new job is the Open for Work feature.

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This feature actively alerts LinkedIn recruiters that you are looking for a job. You should understand the advantages as well as the disadvantages of this LinkedIn feature and take your time optimizing your profile.

What Is “Open to Work?”

LinkedIn’s Open to Work is a relatively new feature that allows you to let your entire network know that you’re in the job market. There are two options to choose from:

All LinkedIn members let everyone know, even those you currently work with, that you are looking for a job. It adds an OpenToWork photo frame around your existing profile picture. This option is considered a more “passive” way to find a job, and some recruiters say it’s less effective.

Recruiters only alerts those who use the LinkedIn Recruiter feature. If you already have a full-time job, the “Recruiters Only” option prevents everyone who works at your current company from seeing the warning. While this helps keep your search private (because many companies don’t want you to actively search for a job while you’re working), LinkedIn says it can’t guarantee total privacy.

How to Enable OpenToWork

It’s easy to show recruiters that you’re open to new opportunities.

Click the Me icon in the upper right corner of your LinkedIn home page.Choose View Profile.

Select Open In > New Job Search.

Select the type of work you are looking for. You can choose from possible job titles, jobs, jobs, and even start dates. You can also choose the type of work you want: full-time, contract, part-time, internship and/or temporary work.

Next to Choose who sees you open, select the down arrow. Select “All LinkedIn Members” or “Recruiters Only”.

Select Add to profile.

Most recruiters will contact you through the LinkedIn InMail feature. Make sure you answer, even if it’s just to show that you’re not interested. If you do not respond to these messages, LinkedIn will contact you to confirm that you are still interested. If you do not reply to this message, LinkedIn will remove Open To Work from your profile.

Risks Of Using Open To Work

Applicants should be careful when using this feature. While this can be a useful tool for finding new job opportunities, it can also jeopardize your current job. Whether you’re an employee or a freelancer, Open To Work is practically safe – you don’t have to and don’t expect to keep working exclusively for the same client.

However, if you are a full-time job in the traditional market, starting a new job search comes with risks. Companies can use your job search against you and fire you with them. Just like you won’t speak out against your company on social media, you should be careful about your presence on LinkedIn.

While the “Recruiters Only” option provides some privacy, there are stories of recruiters asking friends from different organizations to drop by their company to see who is looking for a job. While there is no guarantee that finding a new job will cost you the one you already have, you must be aware of the risks.

How to Make the Most of Open To Work

Think of your LinkedIn profile as a hook. Recruiters will only look at it for a few seconds before deciding to dig deeper or move on. Use this short introductory period to impress them and get them to take a closer look. When a recruiter shares your profile with hiring managers, this optimization increases your chances of getting a job.

Start with your profile picture. It must be at least 400 by 400 pixels. A professional photo is worth the money. Your face must be visible on it, and you must be well-groomed in the photo. Finally, in your privacy settings, make sure your profile photo is visible to all LinkedIn members.

Then make full use of the LinkedIn header. This is a 220-character description of who you are that appears below your profile photo. Include a brief account of what you are doing as well as your current position. If you’re a freelancer, it’s also helpful to include your email address or phone number.

You have the most flexibility in the About Profile section. Here you can tell your story: who you are, what inspires you and your past accomplishments. You have 2000 characters to work with here. Write freely, but use keywords and update this section frequently as your career progresses.

Keep in mind that readers will only see about 265 characters before they have to select Show More. Those first 265 should be attractive enough that someone wants to see what else you have to say.

List your work experience as well, but feel free to omit past positions that are not relevant to your search. If you are pursuing a career as a freelance programmer, you may not include time as a lifeguard. However, if you are asked in an interview, be honest about your work.

Finally, edit your profile URL. A generic LinkedIn URL might work for the average profile, but you want yours to stand out. It’s easy to do.

Click the Me icon > View Profile.In the upper right corner, select Edit Public Profile and URL.

Click the pencil icon next to the LinkedIn URL and enter a new URL, then click Save.

Your URL can be as short as three characters or up to 100. It’s best to keep it short and simple (like your name).

Optimize your LinkedIn profile before you start your job search. This way you will get better results and more offers, and soon get the job you are looking for.

LinkedIn “Open to Work” Feature: Should You Use It?

LinkedIn “Open to Work” Feature: Should You Use It?