Should you put “Open to Work” on your LinkedIn profile?

Job seeking clients ask me if they should put “Open to Work” on their LinkedIn profile. So that you don’t have to do so, I spent hours reading the heated debates online. After reading all the pros and cons, I changed my mind from what it was before I started.

Here is my new recommendation:

Following LinkedIn’s instructions about the Open to Work settings, select the “Recruiters only” setting, not the “All LinkedIn members” setting.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

This is a compromise that acknowledges the surveys estimating that 20% of hiring managers view the banner negatively.

Of course, if you view that 20% of hiring managers negatively because of their opinion, and I totally understand if you do, then choose the “All LinkedIn members” option that will put the “Open to Work” banner on your profile photo. This way, you may screen out the hiring managers who judge job seekers who are transparent about their job search.