Should You Display “Open to Work” On Your LinkedIn Profile?

You’ve probably seen the green “#OpenToWork” frame on LinkedIn more times than you can count. It’s an obvious signal: someone is actively looking. But is that public shoutout actually helpful, or could it backfire?

Below is a practical, clear guide that explains exactly what the feature does, the pros and cons, who should use it, and how to optimize your profile as another effective alternative. Keep reading to see whether this feature can be helpful in your job search.

What “Open to Work” Actually Does

LinkedIn’s Open to Work feature has two distinct parts: a public photo frame and a recruiter-only visibility toggle.

The public frame puts a green banner around your profile photo that anyone on LinkedIn (including your current employer, manager, colleagues, clients, and recruiters) can see, like this.

If you want to hide your availability from the general network, the recruiter-only setting limits visibility to people using LinkedIn Recruiter. LinkedIn tries to block recruiters at your current company from seeing it, but there may still be some exposure.

The public frame is blunt and visible: effective for quick discovery but often noisy, risky, and perceived as desperation or instability. The recruiter-only option is discreet but relies on recruiters using LinkedIn search parameters and noticing your job preferences.

Neither guarantees “better roles”—both change how you’re discovered and by whom. Before flipping any switch, be clear about your urgency, the sensitivity of your current role, and the kind of outreach you want to attract. Here are some points to help you decide.

Who Should Use It

So, should you turn on #OpenToWork, or keep your search more discreet? The answer depends on how urgent your search is and how visible you can afford to be. These simple guidelines can help point you in the right direction:

• Urgent and visible: If you’re unemployed or need interviews fast (entry- to mid-level professional), the public frame can accelerate discovery and referrals.

• Discreet and targeted: If you’re employed but open to new opportunities, use the recruiter-only setting.

• Senior and passive: Skip the public frame. Instead, optimize your profile for targeted outreach. We’ll talk more about this in the next section.

Ultimately, the best option is the one that fits your career stage and goals while protecting your current position.

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Whether you use the frame or not, optimization is the real magnet for exciting opportunities. Here are some tips to optimize your LinkedIn profile.

🎯 Category	💡Key Point
📝 Headline & Summary	Swap vague titles for outcome-oriented headlines (e.g., “Growth PM — led +40% MAU in 18 months”). Use the summary to state what roles you want and what value you deliver.
🔑 Keywords	Recruiters search on skills and job titles. Work relevant keywords naturally into your headline, summary, and experience bullets.
📢 Activity	Post short, useful updates or case studies that demonstrate expertise. Also, engage in niche LinkedIn groups where hiring managers may be present.
🔗 Network & Intros	Ask for targeted referrals. One thoughtful DM to a past colleague beats 100 generic InMails.
📄 Optimized Resume	Use an ATS-friendly resume that passes screenings. Jobright helps refine your headline and keywords to ensure that it gets through to hiring managers.

Check out this article for more LinkedIn profile optimization tips. If done properly, optimizing your LinkedIn profile makes recruiter-only visibility work better and makes a public banner less necessary.

Final Words

Open to Work is a tool, not a magic fix. If you need speed, it can generate interviews quickly. If role quality and seniority matter, use recruiter-only visibility or focus on strategic profile optimization and targeted outreach.

But what if you could go beyond the banner to reach hiring teams directly? With Jobright Insider Connections, you can instantly discover relevant contacts such as past colleagues, classmates, and mutual links, and boost your interview chances by up to 4x with referrals!

Don’t just show you’re open to work—get discovered for the right roles with Jobright.