LinkedIn Open to Work: How to Use It Without Looking Desperate

You're job hunting. You want recruiters to find you. But you've hesitated on that green "Open to Work" banner because something about it feels… off.

That instinct is worth examining — not to talk you out of using it, but so you use it well. LinkedIn's Open to Work feature is genuinely useful. The key is knowing which setting to use, what to put in your preferences, and how to keep your profile strong while you search.

Here's everything you need to know.

What Is LinkedIn Open to Work?

LinkedIn Open to Work is a feature that signals to recruiters — and optionally to your entire network — that you're looking for a new job.

When you activate it, you fill in your job preferences: the roles you're targeting, preferred locations, job types (full-time, contract, remote), and your availability. LinkedIn then surfaces your profile more prominently in recruiter searches filtered by "Open to Work."

There are two visibility settings:

All LinkedIn members — adds the green #OpenToWork photo frame to your profile picture
Recruiters only — hides your status from your network and shows it only to recruiters using LinkedIn Recruiter

Both are useful. They serve different situations.

The green "#OpenToWork" banner on your profile photo is visible to everyone — your current employer, your network, potential clients, everyone.

That's why people hesitate. It can feel like broadcasting vulnerability. But here's the reality: for most job seekers, it works. LinkedIn's internal data shows profiles with the green frame receive significantly more recruiter outreach.

Use the public green banner if:

You're unemployed and actively searching
You're freelancing and open to full-time roles
You work in a field where job movement is normal and frequent (tech, marketing, design, consulting)
You're a recent graduate or early in your career
You don't mind your current employer seeing it — or you've already left

Skip the public banner if:

You're currently employed and your employer doesn't know you're looking
You work in a small industry where word travels fast
You're doing passive exploration rather than active job searching
Your profile is client-facing and you want to project stability

The green frame isn't a sign of desperation — it's a signal. Whether it helps or hurts depends on context.

Recruiters Only: The Stealth Option

The "Recruiters only" setting is LinkedIn's way of letting you job-hunt quietly. It hides your status from your network but shows it to people using LinkedIn Recruiter (the paid tool used by talent acquisition teams and agency recruiters).

LinkedIn says this setting is not visible to recruiters at your current company — but acknowledge there's a caveat: if your employer's talent team has access to LinkedIn Recruiter and your profile somehow enters their search results, the status could theoretically surface. The risk is low, but it's not zero.

Use Recruiters Only if:

You're currently employed and not ready to go public
You want inbound recruiter interest without broadcasting to your network
You're selectively exploring roles in a new industry or function

This is the more conservative play, and for most employed job seekers, it's the right default.

How to Turn On LinkedIn Open to Work (Step by Step)

Go to your LinkedIn profile
Click the "Open to" button just below your name and headline
Select "Finding a new job"
Fill in your job preferences (more on this below)
Under "Choose who sees you're open", select either All LinkedIn members or Recruiters only
Click Add to profile

That's it. You can update your preferences or turn it off at any time.

What to Put in Your Open to Work Preferences

This is where most people under-invest. Your preferences aren't just admin — they're part of how LinkedIn's algorithm matches you to recruiter searches. Vague or incomplete preferences mean fewer relevant inbounds.

Job titles: Add 3–5 variations of the roles you're targeting. If you're a marketing manager open to "Head of Content," "Content Marketing Manager," or "Senior Marketing Manager" — list all of them. Recruiters search by title, and LinkedIn matches loosely.

Locations: Include multiple cities or regions if you're flexible. Add "Remote" explicitly if that's an option. Don't assume LinkedIn infers it.

Job types: Check every type that applies — full-time, part-time, contract, temporary. If you're open to contract while looking for full-time, say so. More options = more visibility.

Start date: "Immediately" or "within the next few months" — be honest. Recruiters use this to filter urgent roles vs. long lead pipeline searches.

Industries and company size: LinkedIn lets you signal preferences here too. Use it if you have strong opinions. If you're flexible, leave it broad.

Here's the thing most people miss: the green banner itself doesn't hurt you. What hurts you is turning it on with a half-finished profile.

If a recruiter sees your Open to Work frame and clicks through to a sparse headline, a thin summary, and an experience section with no quantified achievements — that's the problem. The banner just made sure they found you. Your profile is what they're evaluating.

Before you activate Open to Work, make sure:

Your headline is doing real work. It should say what you do and who you do it for — not just your job title. "Senior Product Manager | B2B SaaS | 0 to 1 Product Launches" tells a recruiter more than "Senior Product Manager at [Company]." If you need help writing a compelling version, the LinkedIn Headline Generator gives you strong options fast.

Your About section is sharp. This is your pitch. It should answer: what do I do, what have I achieved, and what am I looking for now? Two to four paragraphs, written for humans. If yours is outdated or vague, the LinkedIn Summary Generator can help you rewrite it around what matters right now.

Your experience entries have results. Numbers, scope, outcomes. Not just responsibilities. Recruiters skim — they're looking for proof points.

Your photo is current and professional. The green frame appears on your photo. If your headshot is from 2016 or is a cropped group shot, update it first.

Writing LinkedIn Posts While Job Hunting

One underused tactic: posting on LinkedIn while you're searching. Not posts that say "I'm open to opportunities" (those rarely land well) — but posts that demonstrate your expertise.

If you're a marketing strategist, write about a campaign framework you've used. If you're an engineer, share what you learned from a tricky architecture decision. If you're in sales, share your perspective on pipeline management.

This does two things:

It keeps you top of mind with your network, who may refer you
It gives recruiters who visit your profile evidence of how you think

The challenge is that most people freeze when it comes to writing LinkedIn content. The LinkedIn Post Generator can help you turn a topic or experience into a well-structured post without spending an hour staring at a blank page.

You can also use the LinkedIn Post Previewer to see how your post will render on mobile before you publish — useful for checking formatting and making sure your hook (the first two lines) pulls people in.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Leaving your preferences vague. "Open to any opportunities" is not a preference. Recruiters search by specific criteria. Be specific.

Turning it on and doing nothing else. Open to Work is a signal, not a strategy. Combine it with profile optimisation, posting, and direct outreach.

Posting "I'm looking for work" posts with no substance. These get sympathy likes but rarely generate quality leads. Show your value instead.

Using the public banner during a confidential search. If discretion matters, use Recruiters Only.

Forgetting to turn it off. Once you land a role, remove it. Leaving it on looks like the search didn't go well — or creates awkward questions from your new employer.

How Long Should You Leave It On?

There's no fixed rule. Most active job searches resolve in one to four months. During that period, keep it on and stay active on the platform.

If your search is going longer and you're not getting traction, that's a signal to revisit your profile and preferences — not necessarily to turn the feature off. The banner isn't the issue; the profile or targeting usually is.

Does LinkedIn Open to Work Actually Work?

Yes, for a specific kind of result: inbound recruiter contact. If you're targeting roles that recruiters actively fill (most mid-to-senior positions in established companies), the feature reliably increases the volume of recruiter messages you receive.

It's less effective if:

You're targeting startups that hire through networks, not recruiters
You're pivoting to a new field and recruiters don't know to search for your background
You're at a very senior level where roles are often filled through referrals

In those cases, treat Open to Work as a passive signal while focusing your energy on direct outreach, referrals, and content.

Quick Summary

Setting	Visible to	Best for
All LinkedIn members	Everyone	Unemployed, active searchers, open industries
Recruiters only	LinkedIn Recruiter users	Currently employed, quiet search

Turn it on with intention, fill in your preferences properly, and make sure your profile can close the deal once a recruiter finds you. The green banner is a tool — it works when the rest of your profile works with it.

Ready to tighten your profile before you activate Open to Work? Start with your headline using the LinkedIn Headline Generator or sharpen your About section with the LinkedIn Summary Generator.