It is incredible when you think about moving to the next phase of your career. While you may seek a promotion in your company, new positions in other companies may also land you splendid opportunities.
However, you may not want your employer to know you are looking for a new position while still working for them. There may be several reasons for that. You may not like the work environment anymore, the pay may be too low, or you might feel stagnancy creeping into your present job and want a change.
Employees often do not want their present employers and coworkers to know that they are looking for new opportunities until after they have secured a job. This is because employers often become dismissive of employees if they find out that they want to leave.
Hence, you have to signal potential employers that you are open to new positions and yet be discreet about it. There are ways to signal recruiters on LinkedIn that you are looking for a new job, but it will not be too apparent. Once you have secured the position, you can let everyone know.
Why is it Important to let Recruiters Know You are Open to New Opportunities?
Letting recruiters know that you are open to new work is vital if you want to make the best of new opportunities. Employers do not want to waste time calling candidates only to find out that they are happily settled in their current jobs and do not want to make a change at the moment.
Hence, those who put out the word that they are open to new positions will be the first ones to be contacted in case employers want to fill a position. If you manage to signal them correctly, they will contact you first based on their requirements. The recruiters know they are using their time effectively with you.
The Best Way to Signal Recruiters on LinkedIn that You Are Open to Work
There are some steps by which you can signal to recruiters on LinkedIn that you are open to new possibilities. You can make use of some features that will help you do so discreetly.
1. Using “Open Candidates”
“Open Candidates” is a feature on LinkedIn that helps you connect to your recruiters discreetly, and they know you are on the lookout for new opportunities. It gives you the chance to specify the kind of roles you are interested in, and thousands of recruiters and employers will be able to see that.
Follow these steps to access the “Open Candidates” feature on LinkedIn:
- Go to LinkedIn Jobs Home Page
- Click on the “Preferences” tab
- Beside your profile, locate the “On button”. Toggle it to switch it on
- Fill the subsequent gaps with information relating to the kind of roles you are interested in
This is a great way to optimize your LinkedIn profile and make yourself more accessible to recruiters.
2. Using “Open to Work”
Another way to let recruiters know you want to try out new jobs is using this LinkedIn feature.
- Go to your Profile
- Find your profile picture and look to the right
- Click on “Add Profile Section”
- Click on “Intro”
- Click to select “Looking for job opportunities”
You will be redirected to a section that will ask for additional information regarding the kind of jobs you are looking at. Please fill them out as best as possible to get the maximum number of matches.
You can also state whether you are open to relocation, your preferred locations, your possible starting date, and whether you are open to remote working opportunities. These details will enable your prospective employers to zero in on you, and they will understand whether you suit their requirements.
Privacy Concerns of Signaling Recruiters
A lot of employees are concerned that, despite their best efforts, their current employers may come to know that they are looking for new jobs on LinkedIn. However, LinkedIn has a feature that lets you be sufficiently discreet.
You have the option to choose “All LinkedIn Members” if you want everyone on the platform to see your profile. This could also mean that your present employer and coworkers will be able to see your profile. You will also see a #opentowork frame around your profile picture.
Alternatively, you can choose the “Recruiters Only” option. Only recruiters using the LinkedIn Recruiters service will be able to see your profile. The feature is designed in such a way that recruiters at your present company will not be able to know that you are looking for a new job.
However, this is not precisely a failsafe since your company may also use third-party recruitment services. The LinkedIn algorithm will not be able to tell that the recruiting firm has your present company as one of its clients. Yet, you can still reduce the chances of your employers knowing about your job search.
Earlier, you had the option of restricting who could view your profile and job search with the Privacy and Settings options. You can do this with ease now with the Open to Work option.
Can Signaling to Other Companies Affect Your Career?
Ethically speaking, a company should not have issues if an employee wishes to look for greener pastures. It would be wrong to penalize an employee because they want to advance their careers and look for better opportunities elsewhere, considering they are not getting those at their present company.
However, many employees have raised concerns, especially those working in high-level positions, that if other members of the team found out they were job searching, they were afraid it could negatively impact their careers. They might be fired unceremoniously, or they could face other repercussions.
Hence, whether to use “Open to Work” on LinkedIn is up to you. But it would be easier for recruiters to spot you as a potential candidate if you use this feature.
Conclusion
Workplace dynamics can be complex, and it is understandable if you do not want your employers to know that you are looking for a new position. However, it is essential to let recruiters know that you are considering other opportunities.
Since most top-tier companies use LinkedIn to screen candidates, signaling to them is one of the best ways to get a call for an interview. Chances are, your employers will never come to know of your job search, thanks to the privacy features. You can then advance to the next phase of your career with ease.
