How to Show You’re Open to Work on LinkedIn

When job-hunting, you want to increase your chances of finding a new role as quickly as possible. LinkedIn, the leading professional networking platform, offers a valuable feature: the “Open to Work” option for your profile. This feature increases the likelihood of companies or recruiters reaching out to you.

Essentially, the “Open to Work” frame signals to the LinkedIn community that you are actively seeking new job opportunities, by adding a distinctive green frame around your profile picture and telling potential employers the roles you’re interested in. With over 58 million companies listed on LinkedIn, this feature significantly enhances your visibility to recruiters and hiring managers, enabling you to stand out amidst the vast pool of candidates.

If you’re wondering how to boost your visibility on LinkedIn and show you’re open to work, find out all the steps below.

How to Add “Open to Work” on LinkedIn

Adding “Open to Work” on LinkedIn is an easy way to signal to the LinkedIn community you’re looking for a new job. If you want to include this frame to your LinkedIn profile, you can add it in a few simple steps.

1. Open your personal profile on LinkedIn

“Open to Work” doesn’t work for business accounts, so make sure you’re logged into your personal LinkedIn profile.

2. Click “Open to”

Go to your LinkedIn profile page, and select the blue “Open to” button below your profile picture.

3. Click “Finding a new job”

You will also see “Hiring” and “Providing services” in the drop-down menu. Once you’ve clicked “Finding a new job” a pop-up will appear.

Here, you can include:

✅ Job titles you’re interested in

✅ Location types: on-site, hybrid, remote

✅ Locations for on-site jobs

✅ Your start date

✅ Employment type: full-time, part-time, contract, internship, temporary

✅ Visibility: recruiters only or all LinkedIn members

Note: If you select “all Linkedin members” for your visibility, your current employer and colleagues will be able to see you’re open to work.

4. Save

Once you’re done, save your selection and you’ll find a green frame on your LinkedIn profile picture with the hashtag #opentowork. Now businesses and the LinkedIn community will know you’re looking for a new job and what roles you’re interested in.

How to Remove “Open to Work” on LinkedIn

You can just as easily remove the “Open to Work” frame from your LinkedIn profile. 

Just follow the same steps you did to add the “Open to Work” feature. Once the pop-up screen appears, you will be able to click the “Remove from profile” option and it will no longer be visible to recruiters and community members.

How to Write an Open to Work Post on LinkedIn

There are many ways to utilize your LinkedIn network when you’re looking for a new job. While the “Open to Work” frame is one tool, you can also write an open to work post on LinkedIn. This puts your search front and center on your network’s feed, not only allowing recruiters and hiring managers to see but also your connections. Who knows? Maybe a former classmate knows of an open position at their company and you’d be a perfect fit.

Tips for posting an “open to work” update on LinkedIn

It can seem scary to ask for help, especially when job hunting. It’s important to remember most people want to help, they just need a little guidance. An open to work post on LinkedIn not only gets the word out that you’re looking for a new job, but also give your connections the nudge they might need to help. Below are some tips for writing the perfect open to work post on LinkedIn.

1. Start with why

Contextualizing why you’re looking for a new job can help hiring managers know a bit more about you. Whether you’re looking for a new challenge, want to return to your field after a gap in your employment, or looking to recover from getting laid off, mentioning this provides context to your job hunt. Remember, though, to keep your post positive and professional. It’s not the time to air out grievances or talk about the toxicity of your current company.

2. Define your goals

Knowing what you’re looking for in a job makes it easier for hiring managers to know if their open position is right for you. Consider not just the type of role, duties, and responsibilities you’d like but also your future career goals. Would you like to move into a more senior management position? Do you want to work for a company with a particular set of values or in a particular industry? Even mentioning whether you want a fully remote, hybrid, or in-office role can help you find the right fit.

3. Highlight your strengths

While this may seem obvious, it can be difficult for some to actively mention their accomplishments, strengths, and skills. Now is not the time to be shy! Mention any previous projects or successful campaigns you led. Tell hiring managers why they should hire you, and what you can bring to their company.

4. Get the word out there

Utilize hashtags like #opentowork as well as industry-specific ones like #marketingjobs or #productmanager to broaden the reach of your post in LinkedIn’s search results. Conclude your “open to work” post on LinkedIn with a compelling call to action to encourage engagement from your network. This could involve requesting your connections to tag, message, or share potential leads with you.

Here are some examples of effective calls to action:

• “Tag someone who’s hiring for X role!”
• “Send any X job opportunities you may come across my way!”
• “Let me know if you’re aware of any openings in the X field!”

5. Be you (but be positive too!)

You’ve probably noticed that most open to work posts on LinkedIn sound similar, something akin to:

“Hey everyone! I am looking for a new role and would appreciate your support. Thank you in advance for any connections, advice, or opportunities you can offer. #opentowork” 

While this template serves its purpose, it fails to set you apart from the crowd. By infusing your unique skills, experiences, and aspirations into your own personalized message, you significantly increase your chances of catching the attention of recruiters and hiring managers who might otherwise overlook your post.

However, always maintain a positive tone throughout. Despite any grievances you may have with past employers, an “open to work” post is not the place to air them. Presenting your best self projects positivity and enthusiasm about future prospects. Hiring managers look for candidates who approach opportunities with optimism and a willingness to start anew. By crafting a positive and upbeat “open to work” post, you convey your eagerness for the next chapter in your career journey.

Sample open to work post for LinkedIn

If you need a little guidance in how to craft your own open to work update on LinkedIn, you can find a sample below. Remember to tailor it to your own experience, skills, strengths, and goals and let your personality shine through.

Hi everyone! I’m looking for my next role in Product Management and I need your help! 

I’m a seasoned product manager with over 5 years of experience in leading product development from conception to launch, driving strategic initiatives, and delivering exceptional user experience. I’m passionate about innovation, and have a proven track record of success. I firmly believe cross-functional collaboration is key to product management success, and have held management positions where I excelled at leadership and communication. 

I’m currently looking for a new challenge where I can put my skills in product strategy, analysis, and design to the test. I’m open to remote or hybrid roles within Spain, or fully remote roles throughout Europe. 

Help me get the word out by tagging, sharing, and boosting this post to help me find my next opportunity, or reach out to me directly with any leads or questions. Thank you for your help!

#opentowork #productmanagement #productdevelopment #projectmanagementjobs

How to Show you’re Hiring on LinkedIn

Just like candidates can show they’re open to work on LinkedIn, hiring managers can put that they’re hiring on LinkedIn. If you’re searching for candidates to fill a position in your company, you can add a “hiring” frame to your profile photo.

Instead of clicking on “Finding a new job”, select “Hiring” in the “Open to” menu.

On the pop-up window, you need to select the business page where you want to publish the job and fill out the following fields:

✅ The position you need to fill.

✅ Your business location.

✅ The company, which is the page you already selected by default.

✅ Employment type: full-time, part-time, contract, internship, temporary.

✅ A brief job description.

Once you’ve completed and saved your changes, LinkedIn will add the ‘Hiring’ frame on your profile.

Gretchen Oestreicher , 11 March 2024