Should you use the ‘Open to Work’ badge on LinkedIn?

You have options, use them.

When you activate “Open to Work,” LinkedIn offers two visibility settings:

Public: Displays the green #OpenToWork banner on your profile photo.

Recruiter Only: Quietly signals your interest to users of LinkedIn Recruiter, while hiding it from people at your current company.

If you’re searching confidentially, we strongly recommend choosing “Recruiter Only.” LinkedIn has internal safeguards to prevent recruiters at your current company from seeing this signal. It’s not foolproof, but it’s smart and relatively low-risk. If you’re openly job seeking, or if your company already knows you’re planning a move, the public option can work in your favor. It’s a clear signal to your network that you’re open and ready and it can help others send opportunities your way.

Don’t rely on it alone.

The “Open to Work” feature is a door opener, not a full job search strategy. Recruiters may message you more frequently but it’s what they see when they go to your profile that matters. Before turning it on, make sure your profile is aligned with your next move. Your headline, summary, skills, and experience should clearly communicate who you are, what you’re excellent at, and where you’re heading. Think of it this way: if a recruiter looks at your profile for twenty seconds, would they know what job to reach out to you with?

And remember, being open is not being disloyal.

It’s easy to feel like putting yourself out there is somehow risky or disloyal. Remember though, job searching isn’t betrayal, it’s career management. You’re allowed to think ahead and consider new opportunities. So if you're hovering over that toggle, ask yourself: Does this support the direction I want to go? If the answer is yes, proceed with clarity and confidence. You’re not alone and you’re not wrong for wanting more.