Career guide
Open to Work on LinkedIn: Should You Use It?
Open to Work is a LinkedIn setting that tells recruiters you're looking for a job. You choose who sees it, all LinkedIn members (which adds the green
Key takeaways
- Open to Work is a LinkedIn setting that signals you're looking for a job and lets you list the titles, locations and kinds of work you want.
- Choosing "All LinkedIn members" adds the green #OpenToWork frame to your photo and can be seen by anyone, including people at your current company.
- Choosing "Recruiters only" shows your status to people using LinkedIn Recruiter, and LinkedIn says it can't guarantee recruiters at your own company won't see it.
- Recruiters only is the safer choice while you're employed; the public frame suits people who are between jobs and want their network's help.
- Turning Open to Work off from your profile deletes it, and your previous preferences aren't saved if you turn it back on.
What does Open to Work mean on LinkedIn?
Open to Work is a LinkedIn feature that tells recruiters, and optionally everyone, that you’re looking for a new job. You add the job titles, locations and kinds of work you want, and LinkedIn uses them to show you to recruiters searching for people like you. The #OpenToWork tag people see on profile photos is the public version of the same setting.
LinkedIn’s help article on letting recruiters know you’re Open to Work has the current steps and visibility rules, which LinkedIn updates from time to time.
All LinkedIn members vs recruiters only: what’s the difference?
The difference is who can see that you’re looking. “All LinkedIn members” is public and adds the green frame; “Recruiters only” is private to people using LinkedIn’s paid Recruiter product.
| All LinkedIn members | Recruiters only | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sees it | Anyone on LinkedIn, including people at your current company | People using LinkedIn Recruiter |
| Photo frame | Green #OpenToWork frame | No frame |
| Your current employer | Can see it | LinkedIn tries to hide it from Recruiter users at your company but can’t guarantee it |
| Best for | Between jobs, laid off, freelancing, or open about looking | Employed and job hunting quietly |
| Network effect | Friends and former colleagues can share leads | None beyond recruiters |
LinkedIn is clear on the privacy point: it takes steps to keep Recruiter users at your current company from seeing your career interests, but it can’t guarantee complete privacy. If your employer finding out would be a real problem, factor that in.
Should you turn on Open to Work?
Turn it on in recruiters-only mode if you’re employed and want inbound interest; consider the public frame if you’re between jobs and want your network to help. Either way, the setting is a small signal, not a search strategy.
The public frame has real upsides when you’re between roles: former colleagues see it, comment, share openings and introduce you. Opinions on how hiring teams read the frame vary, and there’s no reliable data showing a clear effect either way, so choose based on your situation, not on the debate.
| Your situation | A sensible choice |
|---|---|
| Employed, searching quietly | Recruiters only |
| Employed, your manager knows you’re leaving | Either; recruiters only is still more discreet |
| Laid off or between jobs | All members, plus a post asking your network for help |
| Freelancing or consulting | Use LinkedIn’s “Providing services” option instead, or alongside |
| Senior leader (director and above) | Recruiters only, and reach out to executive recruiters directly |
The strongest signal is still your profile itself: a headline that names the job you want and an About section with results. See our LinkedIn headline examples and LinkedIn summary examples.
How do you turn on Open to Work?
You turn on Open to Work from your profile in a few steps. On desktop or in the app:
- Click Me, then View profile.
- Click the Open to button below your name.
- Choose Finding a new job.
- Add the job titles, locations, workplace types (on-site, hybrid, remote) and job types you want.
- Under visibility, choose All LinkedIn members or Recruiters only.
- Save.
Pick job titles the way recruiters search for them: “Brand Manager”, “Social Media Manager”, “Product Marketing Manager”, rather than an internal title. You can add several.
How do you turn off or remove Open to Work?
To turn off Open to Work, go to your profile, click the edit (pencil) icon on the Open to Work box at the top, and choose Delete. LinkedIn notes that your previous preferences aren’t saved, so you’ll re-enter them if you turn it on again later.
To keep the setting but remove only the green frame, switch visibility to Recruiters only. LinkedIn’s help page on changing profile photo frames covers the frame options.
How do you change who can see Open to Work?
To change who sees it, open the Open to Work box on your profile, click the edit icon, and switch between “All LinkedIn members” and “Recruiters only”. This is the quickest way to remove the green frame without losing your job preferences.
What should you do besides Open to Work?
Turning on Open to Work is a good first step, and the next steps are where most interviews come from:
- Update your headline to the job you want, not only the one you have.
- Message recruiters directly with a short, specific note; our guide on how to message a recruiter on LinkedIn has templates.
- Ask for referrals from people at the companies you want; see how to ask for a referral.
- Post once about what you’re looking for if you’re using the public setting. A short, specific post in your own voice, naming the roles and one or two results, gives people something to share. Write it like you’d tell a former colleague over coffee; that’s the version people forward.
- Keep your resume ready for the leads that come in; our guide on how to update your resume has a checklist.
FAQ
Does Open to Work hurt your chances?
There’s no reliable evidence either way, and opinions among hiring teams differ. If you’re unsure, recruiters-only mode gives you most of the benefit with less exposure.
Can my employer see that I’m Open to Work?
With “All LinkedIn members”, yes. With “Recruiters only”, LinkedIn takes steps to hide it from Recruiter users at your company but says it can’t guarantee complete privacy.
Why did my Open to Work disappear?
It may have been deleted or switched to recruiters only, which removes the frame. Check the “Open to” section of your profile and turn it on again; you’ll need to re-enter your preferences.
What is #OpenToWork on LinkedIn?
OpenToWork is the green frame around a profile photo, shown when someone sets Open to Work visibility to all LinkedIn members. It tells anyone viewing the profile that the person is looking for a job.
Does Open to Work cost anything?
No. Open to Work is free for all members. Recruiters pay for LinkedIn Recruiter, which is how they see members who chose recruiters only.