Setting your LinkedIn profile to “Open to Work” is a great way to privately signal to recruiters that you are looking for new job opportunities. With the Open to Work feature, you can display a badge on your profile stating you are open to new roles, without notifying your network or current employer.
What does the Open to Work feature do?
The Open to Work setting allows you to indicate on your LinkedIn profile that you are interested in hearing about new job opportunities. When you turn on Open to Work, a badge will display on your profile photo saying “Open to work”. This signals to recruiters that you are open to being contacted about potential jobs.
However, turning on Open to Work does not automatically notify your connections or post anything to your feed. It simply displays the badge to indicate your interest. You have full control over who can see the Open to Work badge on your profile.
How do I enable Open to Work without notifications?
Follow these simple steps to turn on Open to Work privately:
- Go to your LinkedIn profile settings
- Under “Profile”, click “Open to work”
- Toggle “Open to work” to “Yes”
- Under privacy, select “Private” so only recruiters can see the badge
- Save changes
And that’s it! The “Open to work” badge will now display on your profile photo to indicate your interest to recruiters. But your network and connections will not receive any notifications about this change.
Who can see my Open to Work status?
There are 3 privacy options for Open to Work:
- Private – Only visible to recruiters
- Connections only – Visible to your 1st degree connections
- Public – Visible to anyone on LinkedIn
Selecting “Private” when you enable Open to Work means the status will only display to recruiters searching LinkedIn. Your connections will not see the badge or get notified about the change.
Does Open to Work post an update to my feed?
No, enabling Open to Work does not automatically post any update to your LinkedIn feed or activity. The status change is completely private unless you choose to make it public.
However, you can manually post an update about your job search to your feed if you want your network to know. But Open to Work itself will not post anything.
Who can contact me when Open to Work is enabled?
When you enable Open to Work as “Private”, only 3rd degree connections and recruiters can directly contact you about opportunities:
- Recruiters at staffing firms or companies
- Hiring managers you are not already connected to
Your existing 1st degree connections will not be notified and cannot contact you directly about jobs just because you enabled Open to Work. You control who can reach out.
How long does the Open to Work status last?
The Open to Work badge will display on your profile for up to 90 days after enabling it. After 90 days, it will automatically expire.
You can remove the Open to Work status at any time manually in your profile settings. It does not have to remain enabled for the full 90 days.
Can I showcase specific jobs I’m interested in?
Yes! LinkedIn now allows you to add specific positions you are open to on your Open to Work badge. Here is how to add job titles:
- Go to your Profile Settings
- Click “Open to Work” and enable the status as Private or Connections only
- Under “Job titles you’re open to”, enter up to 3 specific roles
- These will display below the Open to Work badge
Adding relevant job titles makes it clearer to recruiters what roles you are interested in.
How else can I boost my job search on LinkedIn?
In addition to Open to Work, here are some other tips for using LinkedIn to find your next role:
- Optimize your profile including headline, summary, experience and skills
- Engage with content from relevant companies by liking and commenting
- Join industry or alumni groups to expand your network
- Follow companies you are interested in to see job postings
- Apply for jobs directly through LinkedIn
- Turn on career interests in your preferences to see matching jobs
Conclusion
Setting your LinkedIn profile to Open to Work is a great private signal to recruiters that you are interested in new opportunities. With the “Private” visibility options, you can display the job seeking badge without notifying your current network or employer.
To turn on Open to Work without alerts:
- Go to Profile Settings > Open to Work
- Set status to “Yes” and visibility to “Private”
- (Optional) Add job titles you are interested in
Remember the status will automatically expire after 90 days. So use Open to Work strategically during active job searches to connect with opportunities suited to your skills and interests.