As a career tool, LinkedIn is what you make of it, and when it comes to looking for a new job, LinkedIn provides a multitude of ways to help you along that path. One of the most simple and straightforward one of these features is the “Open to Work” indicator.
In case you’re not familiar with this feature, it’s an indicator toward the top of your profile page that signals your openness to new jobs, including in the form of a highly visible ribbon around your profile picture indicating just this. And since recruiters are constantly combing LinkedIn to find talent, this feature can help you pop out a bit more and maybe make just the difference between getting noticed quickly, and getting passed over. Do not underestimate the utility of that box.
But before you flip the switch, consider the following:
YES, turn the Open to Work indicator ON if…
● You are unemployed and in an active job search.
● You know you will soon be out of work and it’s public information (e.g. company reorganization that will result in your being laid off).
NO, keep the Open to Work indicator OFF if…
● You are employed and your current employer does not know you are searching for other opportunities.
A very important addendum to using the Open to Work indicator is the option to flip it on but without adding the ribbon around your name announcing that you’ve done so. Unfortunately, having it both ways carries a serious risk. As previously mentioned, companies pay a lot of money for LinkedIn access and your employer may be one of them. If so, your “open” status can be discovered either through intentional strategic searches, or accidentally when mining LinkedIn for candidates for open positions.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
