Wondering whether or not you should use the open to work feature on LinkedIn? The ‘Open to Work’ feature on LinkedIn can be handy for recruiters and hiring managers to identify individuals who are actively seeking new job opportunities or projects. You can also use the Open to Work post to notify your network and build momentum to kick start your job search.
In this article, we will explore how you can leverage this feature to find and connect with people open to work on LinkedIn. We’ll also show you how you can save time and keep track of each interaction by using folk.
What is 'Open to Work'?
The 'Open to Work' feature is a toggle switch that LinkedIn members can activate on their profile.
There are two ways that job-seekers can show that they are open to work.
Option 1: Using the green photo frame
When the toggle is turned on, it gives users the option to display an 'Open to Work' badge on their profile picture, indicating their availability for new job opportunities.
It also allows them to specify the types of roles they are interested in, making it easier for recruiters to find relevant candidates.
Once the user activates this, it will allow them to create a post to make an announcement to their network.
The feature offers several benefits. It allows job seekers to use it as a way to announce to their network that they are open for work. It also lets a recruiter quickly identify candidates actively looking for work. Saving them time and effort.
Option 2: Subtly tell recruiters without the green photo frame
Not everyone open to work will have this banner on. Some prefer the option of sharing their availability discreetly in order to avoid unwanted conversations or someone in their network finding out, such as a line manager.
With this in mind, LinkedIn also allows users to let recruiters know that they are ‘Open to Work’. without the green photo frame. With this option, users can simply toggle on the ‘Open to’ setting and choose not to use the photo frame.
With this method, only recruiters will be able to tell if someone is open to new positions and won't show a open to work photo frame.
The open to work status debate
In the past, the bright green open to work filter has sparked debate between recruiters, job seekers and neutral parties over whether or not it can be potential harmful for potential candidates bringing heat to both sides of the debate.
At one extreme, a former Google recruiter suggested that the LinkedIn Open to Work can be "off-putting" to some potential employers, suggesting a sense of desperation. This was quickly ear marked as a red flag by many.
An overwhelming majority of recruiters, business owners and neutral parties have praised the feature, saying that switching on your job search status with the green banner can only benefit job search efforts and increase the likelihood of you getting in front of more new opportunities.
If that's not convincing enough, posts with the #OpenToWork hashtag are also known to drive the most engagement on LinkedIn and attract recruiters.
How to search for 'Open to Work' Profiles
Now that you’re familiar with how you can use the ‘Open to Work’ feature, it's time to start searching for individuals who are open to work on LinkedIn.
There are two main ways to do so. Both involve you subscribing to a premium plan at different price points.
Option 1: Using LinkedIn Recruiter
This is the simplest option, and also the most expensive. Access to LinkedIn Recruiter will cost users $835 per month.
If you have the budget to invest in this, it might be a worthwhile option. Once you’ve subscribed to the full LinkedIn Recruiter plan, you get the exclusive ability to search for candidates open to work via five new filters that are only available to subscribers.
When you upgrade to the LinkedIn Recruiter plan, you’ll have access to these five new filters:
- Internal candidates
- Open to Work
- Are more likely to respond
- Engaged with talent brand
- Have company connections
These filters will appear on the left in the spotlight section where you can click them to find out who is ‘Open to Work’ from your search.
Option 2: Using LinkedIn Sales Navigator
This option requires some manual work as you’ll need to use the Boolean method, but you’ll be able to look for candidates ‘Open to Work’ at a friendlier price point.
There are a few tiers for you to consider which start from $99.99 a month for one user. This then increases depending on the number of users you have and also has an enterprise option for bigger teams.
Once you sign up for the LinkedIn Sales Navigator plan, you can use the Boolean search technique to optimize your search using their advanced search in two different ways.
1. Current Job Title filter
Simply put the following in the ‘Current Job Title’ filter to focus on the specific job titles you’re looking for:
"Open to Work" OR ((looking OR seeking) AND (work OR job OR opportunity OR opportunities))
You can also give the filter keywords you do not want to see by clicking on the icon.
2. Expand your filter to specific parts of someone’s profile
You can also use the Boolean method to do a keyword search of a specific part of someone’s profile by adding the following:
(job titles + job description + about + headline)
However, this is heavily dependent on the way someone has phrased something on their profile and might not return reliable results. So you may want to try using several keywords.
Save your LinkedIn search lists directly into folk
Don’t forget to save your LinkedIn search lists into a CRM. This way you’ll be able to keep track of your new talent pipeline.
The folk CRM comes with a handy Chrome extension called folkX that lets you import an entire list of search results from LinkedIn Sales Navigator into your CRM with a click.
In folk you can organize your leads into specific groups and avoid doubling up searches. You can also use folk to keep track of multiple talent acquisition projects so that you know exactly whom you contacted, and when.
Conclusion
The opentowork badge might've sparked a few debates in the LinkedIn community. But it still proves to be a useful feature, and you don't have to worry about sharing it with your entire network. And if you're a recruiter, you now have two ways to find people ‘Open to Work’ on LinkedIn in its huge talent marketplace. While the price point of the LinkedIn Recruiter plan might set a high barrier to entry for many, the second option using LinkedIn Sales Navigator is just as good.
Don’t forget to use folk to save your LinkedIn search lists in moments so you don’t lose track of your hard work. You can even install the folkX Chrome extension so that you don’t have to leave the search page.
Try folk today, free.
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